Devil May Cry: Althena
by J.Steele
Summary: Taking place between the events of Devil May Cry The Anime and Devil May Cry 4, Dante is still trying to settle his debt, and stumbles into a small case, that involves a much bigger case that strikes much closer to home. It all starts with a sighting of..
1. Mission:01 Sacrificial Lamb

**DEVIL MAY CRY**

**(ALTHENA)**

*******DISCLAIMER*****  
I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving Devil May Cry.  
This is a Fan-Fic involving characters from the Devil May Cry Anime: Morrison and Patty Lowell.**

*******DISCLAIMER*******

**MISSION: #01  
Sacrificial Lamb**

"Dante!" Cried the voice of young Patty Lowell. She shrieked out in anger while her hands shook the knobs of the kitchen faucet. It was out--the water wasn't going to run at all! "Dante! Hurry!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Dante spoke out as he began to slowly change his position from laying across his worn-down couch to sitting up straight. Though her pleas for his speed continued to belt forth, Dante had barely budged from his seated position. A simple pair of worn down jeans were about his waist. No belt present as they hung low on his waist. He wore no shirt--seemingly relaxing for the day.

"Dante! What are you doing?! This is serious!" Patty continued to call out from the kitchen. Though slow, he arrived on the scene, rubbing the side of his scruffy goatee as he witnessed the afpron and dress clad child standing on a stepping stool before the sink with an empty glass.

"What's the problem short stuff?" Words passed through along with an exhale.

"The _problem_ is that the water is shut off! I wanted a glass of water before I finish dusting down this place!" One fist went to her nearly non-existant hip while her right hand held up the empty glass toward Dante. Her face showed deep anger toward the lazy slayer. This was _his_ fault!

"No water huh?...Must of missed that payment." It didn't seem to concern him as he turned his back on Patty and proceeded back toward his couch. "Have your busy foster mom fly a bottled water down." His hand idly waved her off, leaving her standing in anger.

"If you get desperate enough...toilet's in the back."

_That_ comment sent a disgusted feeling racing through her stomach. Almost enough to make her want to vomit! "_Ahhh_! I can't believe you!" She carefully placed the glass down while she got off the stepping stool. "I'm going to find Lady or Trish! Maybe they'll be more civilized!"

She puffed her cheeks, then spat her tongue out at the once again lounging Dante. "Good luck. The bottled water bill will go to me anyway." Were Dante's parting words while his eyes came to a shut with each arm folded behind his head.

It was just as Patty was prepared to leave that Dante's agent, _Morrison_, would open the doors of Devil May Cry. "Finally! Someone with a brain!" Patty exclaimed, happy to see the ever helpful Morrison present.

"Well," Morrison closed his eyes with a chuckle. "I can see the two of you are exactly how I left you last week."

"Only thing is the water is off!" Patty frowned, pointing off toward the kitchen. "I'm really thirsty Morrison, and Dante told me I should drink toilet water!"

"I said if you get desperate enough." Spoke out the calm and cool voice of Dante. "It's saved me money a few times."

"_Yeeeuck_!" Patty turned her head away from him, holding her hands to her mouth in pure disgust.

"Ha ha, he's only kidding, Patty. I'll bring by some bottled water after Dante accepts this next job." Morrison's words got Dante's eyes to open. A job meant money. Money meant pizza, booze, women, and strawberry sundaes.

"If the job's killing off some stray Sloth, you can shove it up your ass." He was sure that wasn't the case...but with work as slow as it was he couldn't really count it out. He wanted a real work out, not a three hit kill. Repositioning himself on the couch, Dante rested his forearms on his knees as Morrison approached him.

"Nothing like that at all. In fact, I think this is what you've been waiting for."

What he'd been waiting for? This had Dante's interest.

"A lot of people went missing and there's been stories of screams coming from an old abandoned mansion just out of town. People say they've seen a demon lurking in the area."

Dante lowered his eyelids at Morrison as he continued the story. _Great. Another chump._ Dante thought to himself. Morrison went on.

"They have feared this house for about twenty years since it's original owners died. They want to pay you top dollar to go in, kill the demon, rescue any survivors, and destroy the mansion."

A demolition job? Most of Dante's 'bills' were due to destruction. Now he could be paid for being absolutely reckless? "How much are we talkin' here...?" He would speak up, locking eyes with his liaison.

"Let's just say it's a little over how much debt you have. They have pretty deep pockets."

"Done." Dante stood up, giving a stretch of his arms and a yawn. "Sounds like a good job. Here I was thinking I'd have to wait on that loser Enzo for a job." He turned and began heading up to his room.

"Enzo?" Patty blinked curiously, looking up toward Morrison. "Who's Enzo?"

"Never met him, really. He brings Dante work sometimes..." Morrison was only going off what he heard...he was starting to think Enzo was Dante's 'invisible friend' for a while there."Dante even says the guy tries to imitate his look." The older man rubbed the back of his head while looking down to Patty who had her arms folded.

"He sounds pathetic." She huffed.

*****

"The sacrifices...they have all been made. Seven humans..." A deep voice spoke in the darkness.

"Seven humans guilty of one of each sin. Humans bound for hell sent before their time..." The voice continued on.

"The blood to be spilled by the race that assisted Sparda at Temen-ni-Gru...the blood to be paid by the most tainted....is incomplete without one final sacrifice..." The demonic voice took a long breath. It's vocal chords rumbling in delight.

"The blood of a demon willing to give it's life. Yes...my blood...but it cannot be by my hand..." The demon became visible in the darkness as half of a man's face...the right side was a skull...almost shark-like. The mouth curved around his face with rows upon rows of sharp teeth. His nasal area was elongated to a sharp point, and his right eye completely empty.

"They all thought I was crazy...but I will sacrifice myself for this cause...yes...." He bellowed forth a chuckle.

"I will die...by the hand of the Devil Hunter....come to me...."

*****

Just outside, Morrison's car had pulled up. It was raining now, and the fact it was came as an annoyance to Dante.

"Sunny days with a slight chance of drizzle huh?" He mocked the weather woman who had been on television earlier in the day. Dante rested his cheek on his fist, glancing out the window at the mansion. He seemed bored already.

Morrison shut his eyes, facing the windshield."Here's the place Dante. Just go in, wreck it, and we'll be out of here.--Huh?" His eyes flung open as he heard the door open on Dante's side. Then the back door as he dragged Rebellion out of it's guitar case.

"Yeah yeah. Just get lost will ya? I got the explosives. You'll know when I'm done." Dante dismissed him, slinging Rebellion onto his back. Swinging his hand back, he'd shut the car door, leaving Morrison inside. Each step Dante took sunk into the muddy ground beneath his black boots. Looks like he'd have to wash them.._again_. Once the bill was paid.

He heard Morrison drive off, and now Dante was sure his human friend was now safe from potential harm. He approached the door slowly.

All he could see ahead of him were booze, women, pizza, and ice cream. He'd have his debts squared away, and a brand new tab to spoil himself on. Wasting time wasn't an option. Dante reached the front door and broke the door in with a powerful kick. He watched as the door vanished into the darkness of the old mansion.

"Huh. No lights." He didn't care. He could still see fine in pitch black darkness. He began to step inside. Each step made the wooden boards beneath him squeak. He heard a howling of the wind outside...accompanied by the pitter patter of heavy rain outside.

"Well, looks like there's no demon. Wild goose ch..." He trailed off as something fell to the floor with the sudden gust of wind inside. Ivory was drawn the very instant the item struck the ground. It sounded as if glass had broken as well.

Approaching the darkened area, Dante would crouch down to pull up a fallen picture frame. Examining it with the coming thunder flash...he would drop it once again with a light gasp.

Dante didn't want to believe what he just saw...he looked to the other pictures on the wall, straining his eyes as hard as he could. "...No way...this house belonged to..." Before he could finish his sentence, Ebony was drawn out facing the wall alongside Ivory. An explosion went off from behind the wall, sending dust and debris Dante's way.

Rapid fire shots went off, destroying chunks of wood before they even got close to him. He could ear nails and woodchips zip past his ears and his waving white hair. The Demon appeared--it had to be at least thirteen feet tall. It looked very similar to the Vangards back at Temen-Ni-Gru all those years ago...just more...fleshy.

The creature screamed, it's odd shark-like features and half-human flesh caused Dante to grin. Though the pictures were destroyed, he still had a job to do. "Thought there was somethin' fishy about this place...you ready to go, JabberJaw?"

The creature cackled, weilding it's great scythe before Dante. "Dante....finally you have come!" It seemed rejoiced, cackling madly. "Finally...death has come..." It leaned in, Dante held his ground.

"Really? Well death and I are pretty tight, dude. I give him a lot of new customers." As soon as he finished speaking, Dante began to unload bullets at the massive reaper. A loud scream of agony came echoing through the house as the beast vanished into smoke. The wind picked up, shaking the flooring.

It wasn't dead, it was using the darkness as a cover.

_Slash!_

Dante stumbled forward as blood splattered against the floors. His own blood. His back had a great gash in it, slowly starting to heal up. He brought Rebellion out with his right hand, looking about himself in the darkness, gritting his teeth.

Thunder erupted, lighting up the room. That very instant, Dante clashed Rebellion with the creature's scythe only to have it vanish again. Swinging with perfection, the Devil Hunter would miss every time, listening to the cackle of the demon as it landed cheap shots on his body. Every small scrape made his heart thump harder beneath his ribcage. The frustration of not being able to land a single hit was setting in as end tables, doors, other parts of old furniture and even the floors were decimated by Rebellion.

"You dissappoint me..." The ghastly voice echoed from every which way around Dante. Angered, Dante stood in place, and strained his eyes ahead of himself. He heard a howl of wind, and violently spun to his body around, slicingng into the air with Rebellion with his left hand.

The weapon peirced through the center of the reaper's split-face. With his right hand, Ebony would be placed in the hollow eye socket. "...I see you." Dante spoke out coldly, releasing fire into the skull of the hooded reaper. The entire outside of the mansion was lighting up from the gunfire and horrible groans of the creature.

Once Dante was done, he'd sheathe his sword at his back, spinning Ebony back into her holster as well. "Well...that takes care of that...." He stated, leaving the creature to burn away slowly into dust. Dante approached the area he'd seen the pictures...all of them destroyed. "..........."

He kneeled down, turning over one that was ripped up from the sudden explosion. He examined it's remains for just a moment, allowing it to drop to the floor.

******

After Dante had seft the explosives up in the house, he stood outside of it, a good ways away. "Well...this place is ancient history. Too bad...she'd probably do the same thing if she found it like this." He took a breath, looking up into the rain..and the black abyss overhead.

The rain was washing away the blood stains about his torn jacket and vest. It was also relaxing his mind. Another boring job...but the money was coming. Looking back to the house..he held the detonator before himself. "Adios." Were his parting words as he pushed the button.

However...the instant he pushed the button, he noticed a pale white haired gentleman standing in the doorway. His long royal blue coat fluttering in the wind. His hair down around his face from the rainfall. His katana held in fist.

"--Vergil?!" Dante gasped, though whilst that air was sucked into his lungs, he witnessed the entire building go up in one big flash of fire.

**********  
Feedback is more than welcome! I'll start cooking up the next chapter soon!


	2. Mission:02 Those Memories

********************  
Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. This fic involves characters from the Devil May Cry Anime--Morrison and Patty Lowell.  
************************

**MISSION: #02  
Those Memories**

**********************  
**Five Days Ago...**  
**********************

Footsteps rapidly moved through the damp alleyways. It sounded as if a wild animal was doing the speeding, as animal-like snorts came along with the frantic movement. It was a demon--a tall purple creature running for it's life. In it's panic, a trash can was knocked over and it fell to the floor, catching itself with both hands.

"Get up! Get up!" His doubled voice was shaking in fear. Pushing himself to his feet, the demon continued to run through the alley. Once it opened up to the streets, a single leap was given over the racing vehicles so he may land in the other alleyway. Once his thunderous feet made impact, the race continued.

He made a sharp turn and placed his back against a wall. Sweat was actually coming from his leathery purple flesh. His heart was racing like pistons in an engine--what could of scared such a creature? He was safe in this dimly lit, dark alley. Hopefully, he wouldn't be found.

"Going somewhere?" A smaller voice called out.

The demon screamed in fear, pressing up against the wall further. "No! Get away from me!"

In front of him was a small boy. His skin was brown, but only visible in the flickering lights. He wore a hooded coat with sleeves than enveloped his own hands. The child couldn't be much older than eleven years old.

"Don't even try to run. It's useless." The boy continued. He didn't seem to be armed, but the demon was still shaking as if he were at gunpoint.

"Look! I've tried to get a clan started!" He began to speak, "She was lost in the passage of time due to Sparda. All the worshipers know are the Devils and Sparda. They never heard of she who lead the construction of Temen---"

"That's enough." The child interrupted him. "The bottom line is your failure or success isn't important. Your demise is." The child's hands began to glow a blazing red. His head looked up toward the creature with one of his eyes blazing in the darkness of his hood. Flares started to form around his body as a more demonic side of the child came forth.

"No! Please!" The demon begged on.

The half-demon child paid him no mind, and lunged forth. For blocks and blocks, all could hear the final cry of pain of the demon.

**********************  
**Today**  
**********************

Dante hadn't been getting many calls lately. Since that experience at the old mansion, he was pretty glad he didn't. His mind was racing about everything he saw there outside of the demon he took out. The pictures and Vergil...why would he be there? Was it really him?

He could remember digging most of the night through the remains of the mansion, even as police arrived, to try and find any sign of Vergil. None were found. Dante's luck wasn't looking up, either...

"She kissed him! Can you believe that?!"Patty's eyes were glued to the television. She had a bowl of popcorn in her lap and her favored Princess Pajamas

Dante on the other hand..., well...his usual 'work clothes'. "Isn't there anything better on tonight? I'm missing Bikini Battle because of this crap..." Kicked back on his couch with his head facing up, he was doing anything but watching the sappy marathon Patty was glued to.

"Hey, you promised you'd spend the whole day with me if I beat you in cards!" She shot Dante a look. "You're my big brother for today, so I can tell about it at school, like it or not." She turned her nose up and proceeded to eat her popcorn. As soon as she heard someone get slapped on the television, her eyes shot back open. "Ooh what happened?!"

Sighing, Dante just closed his eyes. "_Whatever_." He allowed himself to drift away again. Tuning out the child and her programming. He was starting to think of Vergil again. He remembered their last meeting...Vergil was that demon...Nelo Angelo. He had...given him his side of the amulet and exploded to pieces.

Was his brother truly dead? What happened to him after he was sealed in the Demon World? Dante's right hand came up before his eyes, looking into his bare palm where a slice mark of Yamato would of still been, had he not healed from it. He could of stopped his brother from making such a foolish mistake. Despite him being a cold, greedy, and pretty lame brother...he was still his brother.

*****

"Sharpening your sword again?" A younger Dante spoke forth as he opened up a door. The back of his twin brother was seen as he sat on his bed, sharpening Yamato in solitude. "You want some alone time, champ?" He teased further, proceeding to step inside.

"If I made such a claim, you'd simply ignore it." Vergil turned his head slowly toward his brother, holding no pleased expression on his pale features at all. "This must be why Rebellion fits you so well." He went back to his work, as if Dante wasn't there at all.

"Heh...guess you can say that." Dante looked around Vergil's room. So full of books, a record player, and a pretty expensive television. Though to Dante, it looked more like a library than an actual room. "So, you sure you don't want this other gun?"

He gave a pat to his side where the black gun, Ebony, lay in her holster. "Pop wanted us each to have one, you know. Maybe you could of cleared your drills even faster. Then again, I don't really give a damn. More for me." He faced one of Vergil's book shelves, brushing his fingertips over some of the titles. All of the books were dated, and very large.

"Guns are not the weapons of a warrior." Vergil stated. "In our father's time, all he needed was his sword...." Yamato was carefully lifted, so that the blade faced his eyes. "That is all I should need as well."

Vergil's constant comparison of himself and their father made Dante chuckle. "Whatever dude. This is a new day." Turning so that his coat just barely smacked against the bookshelf, he spoke on. "Just because Cavemen brought a chick a deer to get with her, doesn't mean that still applies today." Dante found that to be a perfect analogy.

"It's called purchasing dinner." Vergil of course had a perfect response.

"Smartass." He scoffed, pacing the room a little now. "You should just be yourself. Pop would want it like that. Since you care about him so much, maybe you should respect that, huh?"

Dante's words drew Vergil to come to a slow stand. "If you were not such a child about his disappearance, maybe you would take your own words. Do you not realize who our father is?" His tone had a hint of anger in it. Sparda was the most powerful being to do what he did. They were his sons, they were bound to have it as well.

"Hmm...lets see...." He tapped his chin mockingly, still pacing the room. "A dead-beat who leaves his sons swords and guns on their tenth birthday, and is never seen again. That's about right, isn't it?"

"Far from the truth, little brother." He took hold of Yamato's handle, sliding it within it's casing. "He is a father who taught a valuable lesson." He had Dante's attention...well...part of it at least. He was going to educate him. "Our father prepared us for the event that he would pass on. He left us the tools we trained with and with our mother for a reason."

"Go on." Though he wasn't really listening, Dante played along.

"He eliminated himself from the equation knowing he was a target. Without all of his power, our father was weak...he knew we would be the only ones to protect our family name. To protect our mother." Vergil paced toward his window, observing the new moon in the sky."He taught us to be strong. To be mighty. However...much like him the two of us are still very weak."

"If you say so. I think I'm perfectly fine where I'm at. Already making a name for myself around town...while you read your little mythology books. You're really obsessed with Athena aren't you? The Goddess of War?" He rolled his eyes, now standing in place to look at Vergil at the window. "At least I know now you dig chicks."

Vergil's eyes lowered. "_Althena_. Not Athena. You wouldn't know anything of the subject."

"Enlighten me."

"You are not prepared."

*****

"_Dante!"_ He could hear his mother's voice...

"_Dante!"_...That one was different...sounded like...

"_Hey you big jerk! Wake up!"_ It was...Patty.

"Huh?!" He nearly jumped off of the couch as Patty shook his arm. "What the hell's going on?" There was no demonic aura in the area, so he knew it was safe. This had to be a minor event Patty disturbed him for.

"You have a phone call. It's from Lady. Trish called too, she said she'll be back in a few days." The little one nodded, handing the phone over to Dante.

Groggy, he'd answer. "Yeah?"

"So, how long did the money last you?"

"Well after I paid you, the retail stores, the pizza place, and my bills...I got hit with a hidden fee to pay the families of the dead. Then I got hit with another fee for not bringing the demon's head." He sighed, "With the money I had left...I apparently bought you, Trish, and Patty new clothes." He sounded very miserable. Very miserable. "Now I'm in debt again."

Lady however sounded delighted. "Aww. Is someone upset? Hmhm. A girl's got to live. _Anyway_, you've heard the news, right?"

News? Unless it was about how Bill betrayed Beatrix in this soap opera, he had no damn clue what she was talking about.

"There's apparently another devil hunter out there. Though this one is more up your alley than mine." She could only hear the faint television sounds on Dante's end. She was sure he was listening to her.

"I don't know his name...but he goes by the alias of _Chaos_. He's just a kid." Dante's light breathing on the other end showed her that he was still there...so she continued to speak.

"He's been hitting all the demons before even I can get to them on my bike. Each of them have died without burning away. With great holes in their chests. I encountered this kid on route...he packs a punch, and got away from me on foot while I was riding." Disappointed in her failure to catch the kid, she gave a scoff.

"That was just about an hour ago. He's good...for a kid." There was silence for a moment after she finished speaking. She wanted to ask if he was still there and listening, but if she didn't want to allow Dante to get under her skin.

"So, that's why things have been slow lately, huh?" He began, "Not much I can do. Let's just hope the speed demon slows down a bit. Must be pissed at devils for somethin'." It was then Dante looked toward the door of his shop. Though it was dark out, he could see very far out of his windows. He could feel a strong pule racing through the street. There one moment, gone the next. "Though it's nice to hear a sexy voice in my ear at night, I'm gonna have to let you go for now, Lady."

She held the phone away from her ear, not wanting to hear Dante's usual lines. "Whatever. Just keep your ears open for jobs. I'm running low on cash because of this kid."

As soon as she hung up, Dante placed the phone back on it's holder, getting up from the couch and headed for his closet.

"...Hey, what are you doing?" Patty had held her handful of popcorn before her face, watching Dante go through his closet.

"Going to get some fresh air. I'll be back." Confident of his speedy return, Dante brought out two swords and a purple stone. He placed the stone on his desk...then leaned the red and blue blades against the couch where he had sat. Patty was...confused.

"You can't leave me here all alone! What the heck are you doing?"

"Setting up your babysitters." Dante interrupted her last few words. Once standing up straight, he'd proceed back toward his desk to fetch Rebellion.

"Babysitters?! How can a couple of dumb swords babysi--"

"Excuse me ma'am. We are not _dumb swords_!" Angi exclaimed in anger.

"Yes! We are _brilliant swords!_" Rudra chimed in.

"_Aaah?! They talk?!" _Patty's popcorn went everywhere as she scrambled to a stand on the couch.

"Only when it doesn't bug the hell out of me," Dante explained, "These two guys aren't the only ones, though."

"Oooh..., how wonderful, fresh air again...baby, I thought you'd never call again..." The electric witch's voice echoed out as she appeared behind that of Dante, stepping out in front of him. Dante was sure glad she was wearing her bats, or else he'd have a lot of problems.

"I guess it has been. I need a favor though. Watch this kid and keep her safe until I get back." Dante stepped past Nevan, not wanting those long fingers of her's to get too comfortable with him.

"Yes master. She's as safe as can be..." Nevan strutted her way toward the opposing couch Patty stood upon, and took a seat. Patty was absolutely petrified.

Dante reached the door and held it open. "Don't worry. They're changed demons. They're about as human as I am." He assured Patty, now shutting the door once he stepped outside.

*****

While walking, Dante once again slipped into his mind. The memories of his brother Vergil and his mother Eva were common thoughts ever since that day he destroyed the mansion. He hadn't shared anything he saw and found in the mansion to anyone. He kept it to himself.

_"Mom?...Mom, where are you?!"_ Dante heard his own voice call out. A bloody mess, the young Dante raced through the remains of the destroyed home. Coughing from the dust and fumes in the air lingering from the disposed demons, Dante had his forearm before his mouth.

When he came across a clearing in the remains of their home. He saw Vergil kneeling by a body. Their mother's body.

"_Mom?! Vergil!?"_Dante cried out. Vergil too was a bloody mess. At an equal amount, if not more than Dante was. His clothes were ripped from his torso, and his wounds were still healing. Dante made haste, coming to Vergil's side when he saw his mother mortally wounded.

"..._Mom!" _He had never thrown Rebellion away so quickly. He would kneel on her other side, examining her wounds. "We've gotta get her to a hospital! C'mon man what are you doing?!"

Vergil said not a word. "She's gone, Dante. There's nothing we can do."

"There's plenty we can do! Help me get her up!"

"There is no logical recovery for her. She has already taken her final breath and last words--"

"Why is it always logic with you?! Get the hell away from her! I'll take her myself!" Dante attempted to pick her up, but was met with Yamato pointed at his throat.

"....Dante." Vergil simply uttered his brother's name. His voice was shaken. It was not as cold and relaxed as he was used to. He was trying to get his brother to accept it. Even if they both were having a hard time doing such.

He had paused. Though he was enraged that those invading demons killed their mother. "..._Who the hell would do this...? This wasn't a random assault, this was a hit!"_ His fist clutched up, he closed his eyes.

"...We are both far too weak, Dante. Though even in our defeat...she left us with a smile...she told me..." Vergil was trying to keep these intense emotions in check. He was not going to break. "She wanted us to have these." Before Dante, Vergil held an amulet.

Looking up from his bloodstained bangs, Dante saw it. ".._Her amulet_..." He whispered, taking it from Vergil's hands slowly.

"...Rest in peace, mother. We both...love you dearly." Vergil came to a stand, turning his back. Dante remained crouched next to her body. "We must claim our father's power. That's the only way we can avenge her." He held his head down.

"Are you crazy, man?! We don't need _his_ power. Haven't you ever wanted to do something on your own?!" Dante did not look up to his brother in any way.

"Together we could end every demon that did this to our mother. It is our birth right, Dante. We are too weak as it stands right now. Our dead mother is proof of that." Vergil looked ahead of himself as if the road to his destiny was paved. "If you want to help me avenge mother, then come with me, brother." His offer stood.

"...You can go to hell, Vergil. Whoever did this is going to pay, and I don't need _your_ dad's power to do it!" He grit his teeth, emotion getting the better of him as a tear trailed down his cheek. He was still looking at his mother's lifeless body.

"...Suit yourself." Vergil turned, pointing Yamato just beneath Dante's chin. He pushed the blunt end of the weapon under it, making Dante lift his head up to look at him. "We are devils, Dante. Don't let human foolishness get you killed. Your demon strength must guide you to the right path. Like _our_father. I will part ways with you here...but remember one thing, my brother..." Vergil paused, retracting Yamato, and sheathing it. "Remember..._Devil's Never Cry._"

*****

Dante's walk had gone on for at least half an hour into the night. He had searched high and low for that intense aura he felt back at the shop. It was getting faint...he was beginning to think it had gotten away from him.

That thought was gone as soon as he heard a loud Boar-like squeal of pain echo through the streets. Swiftly his hands reached for Ebony and Ivory, pointing them down an alleyway. He waited. The aura of this one was getting smaller the closer it got. Out from the darkness it came...a pig's snout and body, standing on it's hind legs. It must of been a personification of gluttony.

The creature however had a feature that caught Dante's eyes. A massive hole in it's chest. He did not even open fire...for the fact as soon as it left the alley, it collapse and died meters away from his feet."Huh..." He sighed, now placing his weapons back in their holsters.

A cat's yowl drew his attention though the maze. He didn't try to be stealthy in the slightest--his boots stepping through the concrete maze were echoing softly. Whoever was there had to know Dante was coming. A strange glowing light from the darkness caught his eyes while he turned corners through the passages.

Once he found the light's source, he would see a hooded child hunched over with a larger red spirit devouring light with it's palms. He knew already this was a soul the beast was eating. The spirit was hard to characterize...it seemed almost armored. "Anyone ever tell you not to snack after your bedtime?" He of course had to make a joke.

The child looked up, and the spirit over his back vanished. The small one was like a locomotive, racing through the passageways, running along walls, and leaping over dumpsters. Though his rapid movement was met with it's match as he saw Dante barring his path toward the street.

"You're pretty fast. That demon possessing you help with that?" He commented, and the child only ran away again. "Little kids on a soul reaping mission. Huh...sounds like bad TV." He shook his head.

'Chaos' tried to escape the other end of the alley--and once more found Dante blocking his path with a gun pointed right at his face. The spirit erupted from the child's back, making an attempt to engulf Dante--and in the darkness of the alley, the sparks of gunfire went off.

Silence...

When the smoke cleared, Dante stood with one gun over his shoulder, and the other pointed upward. The large armored beast had been shot through the neck and through the mouth right over Dante's arm. It was frozen, until it blew away in the wind. The young child was laying on the ground still...and showed signs of life as he started to get to his hands and knees.

With the job done, Dante started to head out of the alley as if nothing happened.

"M-Mister..!" The kid called out. "You...you saved me?"

Dante stopped. "A little young to be fighting demons all by yourself, aren't you?"

The child started to get to his feet, brushing himself off. "...I...I just wanted to protect my family."

Dante didn't turn to face the kid at all. "Then do it." He stated, "Do it when something comes your family's way. Don't go out in the world and leave them vulnerable. You have to grow up before you can play with the big boys."

The kid lowered his head, not sure what to say to Dante.

"I'll walk you home. Just don't get yourself mixed up with any demons, you hear?" He was sure this would be the end of it.

"...They're collecting demon souls for the arrival of somebody. Somebody a Demon Hunter unsealed." He explained, now walking toward Dante. "I thought I beat the demon...but it got inside me. I heard so many voices...names...places."

Someone a demon hunter unsealed? Well, didn't sound much like hunter, did it? "Comes with being possessed. Don't mind it. I'm sure it'll be fixed before you know it." He walked with the boy, who seemed to still be on edge.

"...The voices..kept saying something about...Althena. Do you know what that is?"

"Nope. Never heard of it."He lied, though that name was always itching at the back of his skull.

**********************  
**Meanwhile...**

**Back at Devil May Cry...**  
**********************

"....This is..embarrassing..." Angi groaned."I never thought I'd be a member of a tea party.." The demon sword whined as a bonnet was placed around his head.

"Tea?" Rudra was puzzled. "What is..._tea_?"

"Well, _tea_ is--"

"Hey! You two can stop complaining any minute now, you know?" Patty placed her fists at her side, glaring at the swords. "Now I can see why Dante doesn't like you two talking. More tea Ms. Nevan?" Patty put on her best smile for the sundress clad succubus.

"Oh, I would be delighted! It's been so wonderful getting yo know you Ms. Lowell. It makes me wish you were my own. Hmhm!" Nevan was having a great time with this young girl. It was a very rare interaction. Since she was a mere spawn she'd never had time to play!

"Hee hee! Dante shouldn't leave you in the closet! You're the best friend a girl could ask for!"

*************

Just wanted to end it with a little funny scene. Feedback is welcome! Next chapter is cooking!


	3. Mission:03 Finding Answers Pt 1

********************  
Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. This fic involves characters from the Devil May Cry Anime--Morrison and Patty Lowell.  
************************

**MISSION: #03  
Finding Answers Pt 1**

*************  
**The Next Day...**

*************

The sound of the television had been filling Dante's office. There upon the couch sat young Patty Lowell and her new friend, Nevan. The two had been glued to the morning soap opera and the many dramatic events. For the second day in a row, Nevan was actually wearing a sundress she generated from her bats, rather than going mostly without garments. The kid really got to her in a very short time!

"This Melinda I really like," Nevan said as the commercials came on. "She knows how to get herself out of trouble..." Being a..._retired_ succubus, the soap operas brought her back to many fond memories back at the sunken opera house. So many men fighting for her affections...only to end up fighting for their lives once the fun was over. It was a wonderful time.

Instead of taking souls to carry her over now, Nevan had found a very suitable replacement. The empty jar of pickles next to the couch and the empty bucket of chocolate ice cream was a good enough hint on her lap.

"Are you kidding? Melinda is a manipulator! She's going to try and get Harry hurt or killed to cover her tracks!" Patty threatened the television by shaking her fist at it.

"I know. It's just juicy isn't it?" Nevan said, licking her finger clean after swirling it in the bottom of the ice cream bucket.

"...Sure is!" The younger one confessed, now sharing a laugh with Nevan. Finally, she had someone to share her interests! Lady always complained about soap operas...and reality television. Trish wasn't very interested in the show she liked in particular...and Dante?...Well, Dante wanted to watch Bikini Wrestling Organization every Monday.

"Hey, when's Dante coming back with breakfast? I've got to go to school in a few minutes." Miss Lowell patted her tummy with a frown. Though the ice cream was a good treat, Nevan had the vast majority of it...along with some pickles.

"Hmm...I sense him coming closer, dear. Hopefully you have enough to tell your classmates about." She reached over, petting the girl ontop of her head.

"Yep!" Patty exclaimed with much energy behind her young voice. "You're the best big sister-mom ever!"

"_Aww_! Come here, sugar!"

Just as Nevan was about to embrace Patty, the doors flung open, Dante had arrived with breakfast! "Sorry for the wait, ladies. Breakfast is served." In his hands were three boxes of pizza! "That kid I found last night has some pretty nice parents," Dante proceeded toward his desk, no matter how angry Patty glared at him. "Gave me enough cash for protecting their kid to buy this stuff."

On his desk the pizza boxes went and out came Patty's voice.

"_Pizza?!"_ She shouted, "Who eats pizza for breakfast?!"

"Apparently somebody does. No other explanation to why that joint's open so early." Dante opened up the box to grab a slice--only to have it snatched up by a single bat of Nevan's and flown to her. "Hey!"

"No olives?" Nevan's red eyes glanced over the slice. "My my. You are just like your father. Do they remind you of little eyeballs?" She teased him, knowing much more about Dante's dislikes than most people he knew. She could thank Trish for that.

"Just shut up will ya? Keep the damn slice, I don't know where those bats have been." He covered his ears at the 'little eyeballs' comment. He didn't want to even _think_ about that. Olives were just bad.

"Well," Patty had given up, now sliding off the couch. "I want to say thanks for letting me spend the night Dante. I'm going to go to head to school now." Despite Dante being a bonehead, she still gave him a smile and a wave. "Bye miss Nevan! I'll come by and see you again okay?" When the woman stood, she got a hug from Patty.

"Have a wonderful day." The echoing voice of Nevan would of scared most, but Patty wasn't afraid of her anymore.

"I will! Later guys--" She couldn't even step a foot away before more voices came wishing farewells.

"Good-bye!" Rudra called from the side of the door he was stuck on.

"It was wonderful meeting you Patty!" Angi called from his side.

"_Patty?_Treat her with respect Angi! Call her Miss Lowell!"

"_Why?_ We are beyond formalities!"

"Are we now? Brother, you truly do not know how to speak to women."

"I do too!...Now shut up!"

"No_ you_ shut up!"

"Why don't you make --"

"_Hey!_" Dante interrupted them, pointing with one finger. "Both of you guys shut it, or you're goin' back in the closet!"

There was silence after that. Patty took a sigh of relief. "Thanks for that, Dante. See ya!" Out the door Patty went, leaving Dante alone with Nevan.

Taking a bite of his pizza, he'd feel someone pressed up against his back, breathing into his ear softly and making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

"We're all alone now...." Nevan wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her chin in the crook of his neck.

"Yeah. We are. Doesn't mean anything, though." Dante placed his pizza down. He didn't have his gun on him. It would be harder to bargain a way out of her arms.

"It _doesn't_? Well, things can change, sugar." She insisted, "Besides, I was always attracted to men around your age. So youthful, just in their first years of truly being a man..." Surprisingly, Nevan released him, swaying back toward the couch. "Dante, I know you're only half demon...your senses will develop for nearly your entire mortal life." She began to explain something, Dante had turned his head to keep his eyes on her.

"You can tell when a demon is in disguise by their scent. You can tell when a demon is near by the vibe it gives you. What you cannot yet tell is how many demons are linked to a central demon..." She took a seat on the couch, crossing her left leg over her right. "That is something near exclusive to pure devils and demons. Did you...or your brother ever learn the difference between demons and devils?" Nevan was on rocky tracks mentioning Vergil to Dante. Especially now.

Fetching his pizza again, he'd track after Nevan, sitting next to her. "Doesn't really matter. They get in my way, either is going down." He flipped through channels as he ate. Nevan examined his face, brushing her fingers along his jawline to turn his head toward her.

"It does matter." She stated with a soft voice. "Demons live and die. Devils cannot die. They are immortal."

"You're telling me this, why?" He lowered his eyelids looking into hers, a little annoyed that he was just fed useless information. So he thought.

She released his face, returning to a seated position. "You're bound to clash with a devil, sugar. The only advice I can give you is to be educated. There is bound to be a story on every devil to exist." She could see what was going to happen, but it was not her place to tell him.

"Yeah, alright." Dante didn't pay it any mind. He went silent and just stared at the television. Right away, Nevan could feel something was bothering him.

"You have company. I'll ghost for a few minutes. _Tootles, _baby." Nevan's body floated from the couch and she rapidly faded into several bats that vanished into the rafters above.

The doors came open, and none other than Lady stepped inside. Dressed to kill, as usual. "I got your message you left me last night. So you took down Chaos, huh?" She seemed impressed. She stepped along his pool table, placing one hand on it.

"Yep. Little kid was easy to take down though, Had some speed on him though." Another bite was taken out of his almost non-existing slice of pizza.

"I see. Didn't he look funky though? He had all of those colors in his hair." Lady started to examine the office a little more. She could feel something else was there. However this wasn't a hostile essence. She had learned the difference.

"Don't know about that. Kid had short black hair when he finally pulled his hood off. Sweet kid."

That struck Lady as odd. That didn't sound anything like what she saw an hour before she called Dante. "...What? What did he look like?"

A shrug of his shoulders was given. "Young black kid. Weird looking eyes. Seemed to like playing with fire." That was his best summary of the child he walked home safely.

"..._That's_ not Chaos, Dante." Her eyebrows lowered. They had missed the mark? Was there some confusion? "Chaos was some white kid with really funky looking hair. He ran faster than my bike and was eating weird looking lights."

"Can't be a mistake. He had a powerful aura til I killed the thing possessing him off. Was eating strange lights too." The fact they saw two completely different boys raised a few questions in Dante's mind. "...I don't like the sound of this. Everything's been crazy since that mansion..." Getting up to a stand, he started to pace toward his jukebox.

"Mansion? The one you destroyed? What happened?" Lady remained in place, watching Dante as strolled by. When he passed her, Dante gave her a smile.

"Worried about me, babe?" He joked, and proceeded forward. It kind of made her look away from him. She _hated_ when he tried to get cute with her. "The mansion I wrecked had no survivors. Seven people at least were dead in the basement." He explained, looking over his jukebox.

"I found some old photos on the wall," He could see them as clear as day in his head. "It was of a family. My mother's family." He hadn't mentioned any of his findings to anyone until now. Hopefully someone would lend him a hand in figuring out why all of these strange things seemed to be happening. "Everyone knows about my father. They don't know much about my mother, Eva."

He suddenly had no craving to hear any music. He just stood there, not wanting to make any eye contact with Lady. She didn't like to be seen vulnerable, neither did he. "When she married my father, my grandparents excommunicated her. Just like the demons wanted nothing to do with my father." He took a moment to think back to his mother explaining to he and Vergil as young children why their grandparents were not around.

"They got so upset that she had Vergil and I that they looked to god for a way to get rid of demons. I guess they asked the wrong kind of god, because the mansion I found had years and years of demon spawn in it." He turned, now pulling up a pool stick from the wall. He began heading toward Lady at the table.

"Downstairs there was a framed picture of my mother much like the one on my desk." He motioned his head, Lady looked toward the desk. She had glanced at it from time to time and never asked who it was. Patty had originally assumed it was Dante's girlfriend.

"Then there was another woman. A woman with white hair. I assume it was either my grandmother or an aunt I never knew. She looked similar to her. I have no idea who it was. Most of it was shattered and draped in blood." He began setting the pool balls up onto the table.

"After I set the explosives up, I headed outside and detonated it. As soon as I pushed the button, though...I saw Vergil standing there. Going up in flames with the house. Since then...I've been seeing him almost everywhere. Sometimes I hear him walking. Each time I hear something, one of these strange cases happen. I feel like when that house went....I let something go."

Dante had his shot lined up, and took it to break up the balls. Lady just watched him. She wasn't sure how this related to seeing two different 'Chaos' kids...but she was sure Dante just needed to get that off his chest. Maybe it was related? "How do you think that ties in to us seeing two different demon hunters with the same name?"

"Well...I've been seeing some strange shit since then. Maybe everyone's feeling it and don't know." He stepped around the table, looking for another shot. "Lets just forget it. Lets play a little game. I've got some money to put up. You got money to lose?"

That brought a grin to Lady's face. "I should be asking you that, Dante." Mix-matched eyes would lower in delight. She knew she could beat Dante in pool.

***************  
**Later...**

***************

The school bell had finally rang. All of the children were just about racing to the waiting cars and buses outside. Other children were able to walk home, though. Patty knew the orphanage and Devil May Cry were within ten or so blocks of the school. She could make it there safely. It was a good workout, too!

Though today, Patty's usual parting with her crowd of friends did not happen as expected. She usually left her pack of friends at the five-block-mark, and made her way toward Devil May Cry. This time, someone had tagged along. A slightly older boy. She never met him before, he hadn't said much in the crowd she walked with. It was the first day of the school year though, so she was sure he'd warm up to them!

"So...your big sister for the day was named Nevan?" The boy said. Patty looked back, realizing she was being followed now.

"Huh? Oh yeah. She lives with the man who owns the monster hunting shop. I didn't say that in class because..that scares people." She giggled a little bit. She knew boys were into all kinds of scary stuff, so it wouldn't make this kid run the other way. If it did? At least she wouldn't be followed anymore.

"Oh...Dante, huh?" He seemed to have a gleam in his eye. "Nevan and Dante. Nice."

"Uh...yeah...I'll see you tomorrow." Patty didn't like the way he was speaking. It just felt creepy. She sped up her walking, trying not to look back. "...What's wrong with that guy---aah?!" She bumped right into him. How'd he move so quickly in front of her?! She stumbled back--she knew this wasn't normal.

"...Lets go somewhere fun, Patty." He had that weird gleam in his eye...and energy hovering over his shoulders. He tried to reach for her, but ended up getting Patty's best fist to the face! Though it hurt her knuckles, it staggered the guy back a little! She ran away, calling for help--and once more, her path was blocked by this kid. His multi-colored hair hanging either side of his face.

"Oh no...!" She didn't know how she was going to get away!

The boy cackled darkly. "You'll help bring the demon hunter's soul to us! Ha ha!"

That was until a thunderbolt ripped through the sky and through that massive energy hovering above the boy. The lights vanished in the air, and he fell to the ground. Patty looked behind herself, to see none other than Nevan with one hand outstretched.

"Miss Nevan!" She called out, rushing to her to stay in her protective range.

"...Run and fetch Dante, sugar." The pedestrians on the street started running the other way when they saw Nevan. Some stayed and watched because...well, she was wearing bats, barely.

"No! I don't want to leave you! What if he gets up?" She pleaded, holding onto Nevan's pale blue hip.

"If he does get up he's no longer a threat...the ones that are coming will be." She could feel them closing in the more the streets cleared up.

"I can't leave you here by yourself!" Stubborn as always, she remained attached at Nevan's side.

Annoyed, she closed her eyes. "...Very well." Her dark bats expanded, surrounding Patty and vanishing from sight all together. She was sending her to Dante if she liked it or not. More children started to approach the scene like the living dead. Eyes glowing, red spirits hovering over their bodies. They were after her...a demon with a powerful soul to devour.

"So...all of _you_are collectively 'Chaos'? Well...we'll find the real one soon enough." She flicked her hair, summoning forth more bats to swarm around her body with crackling electricity." ...Come and get it." Nevan beckoned them as the circle of possessed children and adults began to close in from all points of town. Some faster than others.

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**Next Missions!  
#04: Finding Answers Pt 2  
#05: Dante Must Die!**

**This was originally much longer, but I'm seperating this one in two parts for the next 'mission'. We may see some more Vergil too...and maybe find out some other things! Comments, questions, and guesses welcome.**


	4. Mission:04 Finding Answers Pt 2

********************  
Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. This fic involves characters from the Devil May Cry Anime--Morrison and Patty Lowell.  
************************

**MISSION: #4  
Finding Answers Pt 2**

Nevan was surrounded on all sides. The hordes of possessed humans closed in on her like a pack of starving dogs on a five pound steak. They ran and pounced toward her, all with zombie-like glares in their eyes. Their fingernails clawed at her bats. Ripping into them, biting into them, anything to get to her flesh and her soul.

However they would be surprised that once they bypassed the bats, there was nothing inside but themselves. Nevan had shot herself sky high in an instant. Placing her lips against her palm then extending her hand, she blew a kiss down to the possessed ones. The kiss had erupted into a multi-headed thunderbolt, that struck through the heads and very cores of the demon spirits hovering over the people's backs.

"Mmm...you're making this _too _easy, sweeties." She teased. Her words were ineffective however, as the others began to work together and launch skyward toward Nevan. One had latched onto her back, giving a deep bite into her shoulder. "Ooh!" She called out in pain, and reacted with a spike of bats severing through the spirit looming above. She shook the man's body off, hopefully the innocent man would survive the fall.

More were being pitched up to her, she had done her best to slap them away, but more and more began to pile up. Nevan was overpowered, bitten, scratched, and driven down to the ground. This couldn't be the end!

An explosion of electricity sent the tens of men, women, and children into the air and off of her. Holding a wound at her side, she leaned forward, feeling drained already. "Soul suckers, hm...? Just where is the energy going..." She questioned as her opposition began to slowly circle the wounded succubus again. She had to expend the rest of her energy to call a swarm of bats. That should handle things until Dante got there.

She had to remain the target so that all of the Chaos 'messengers' would be in one place. She knew they were after powerful demon souls after all.

"Well, I guess it's time for the grand finale..." She did her best to stand up straight...the circle around her was getting smaller and smaller. "Forgiveness in advance for lives that may be lost." She began to crackle with static electricity..first softly...then _violently_.

_Bang! Bang-bang-bang-bang--Shink!_

Dante had arrived. She could see him leaping from head-to-head, stepping on them and shooting through the spirits hovering over their bodies, and even slicing through them. As each spirit was destroyed, the human vessel fell to the ground knocked out!

Dante sprung forward and landing in front of Nevan. "Clients of yours from back in the day?" Dante joked, turning away from her to face the masses.

"_Chaos_." Nevan spoke out. "These are just leeches. They're apparently after souls...they've tasted a bit of mine already." She confessed, once again leaning in pain.

"Sounds dirty. Oh well. You just let me handle them. Save your energy." Winding Rebellion back, he'd glance from person to person, and their 'Chaos' floating over their bodies. "Sorry guys...party's over." Tossing Rebellion through the air, it would spin and slice through the Chaos souls in an expanding circular sweep. The sword's range kept getting wider as it spiraled around Dante and Nevan.

He began to shoot as well, crossing his arms over one another to shoot at either side, even spinning and shooting to cover more areas. The '_leeches'_ began smartening up though, ducking themselves beneath the blade!

"..Wiseguys, huh?" Dante commented, taking aim quickly. Shooting a single bullet that hit the handle of the spinning sword, he'd watch it as it began to spin the _other_way, slicing through the backs of the pouncing spirits. Taking the handle of Rebellion as the human bodies fell, he'd use the momentum it had to turn and slice diagnally through a spirit that got far too close to the weakened Nevan.

On occasion, the weakened succubus would send elecricity around them to aid Dante in getting rid of the Chaos leeches.

"Alright! Maybe I'll actually break a sweat!" Dante reveled in the challenge of facing so many demon spirits!

************  
_**Elsewhere....**_  
************

"Then the guy says..., _the water's cold._" The gruff voice of a man spoke out.

It was inside of an old tavern that the man sat. Wearing a big black trench coat, wide brimmed cowboy hat, sunglasses over his eyes, and a shadowy beard around his features. Beneath his coat had been black leather and body armor. A thick belt around his waist held several revolvers. Sitting beside him at the bar was a large suit case. It was quite heavy as well.

The man continued to speak. "Other guy kept relievin' himself and said..._yeah, and it's deep, too!'_ Ha ha ha..." He gave a throaty chuckle. The woman he sat with looked less than impressed by his joke.

"That's kind of disgusting." She rolled her eyes, going back to her beer.

"Yeah. I'm a disgusting kind of guy." The man said, taking a hit of his beer. "I'd show you proof if I had the time. I just need to clarify something."

The woman was just about getting ready to get up and leave him with a scoff. He grabbed her arm firmly to stop her.

"The library you work at. Is the last surviving book of _Althena_ there?"

"Hey! Let me go!" She struggled against him, her words gathering attention from the other guys in the bar. Some standing up and making their way toward the situation.

"Just a yes or no, and you're home free." The man kept his eyes hidden in the shadow of his hat.

"Yeah it is! Why are you so interested in an over-sized fairy tale?" Her arm was released and she snatched it away from his hand's range. "Creep..."

"Hey baby, this man botherin' you?" An overweight customer said once between them. "Not polite to put your hands on a--"

_BANG!_

One of those revolvers sent a bullet right between his eyes. Everyone collectively gasped as the man fell dead. The cowboy stood up. Everyone backed up--some made a run for it. His hand extended, extracting light from the corpse into his gloved palm.

"Thanks for the info, doll." He drew out his other revolver and began to shoot on a frenzy. He killed every person in his sight--customers, bouncers, bartenders, all except that single woman. Looking at her curled up in the far corner of the bar, he would come to approach her.

"Get up. I don't kill informants." He spoke, now turning away from her, and heading for the exit of the tavern. "You saw nothing here. Get lost." Were his parting words as he stepped out into the street. "...Leeches have failed me. I better keep him from finding the book..."

************

_"Woo!" _Dante called out as the final spirit was disposed of. Placing Rebellion back behind him, he would watch as most of the people started to come to. He could tell half of them had no idea what had happened. Proud of himself, Dante turned to check on Nevan.

"That takes care of them. Head back home for Patty. Angi and Rudra might give her a headache." His eyes glanced over her, but were drawn away toward the streets.

"Will do. Maybe I need to recover after all..." With that said, Nevan faded into her legion of bats, and flew over the buildings of the city to Devil May Cry. The waking civilians were so scared of her bats that they began to flee the scene, even without knowing where they were trying to go. As long as it was away from there!

Dante continued to stare. What had he been looking at that silenced him?

Vergil. Dante saw Vergil standing four blocks down on the corner. After staring each other down, Vergil headed around the corner.

"Hey!" Dante reached forward, then broke out in a sprint down the blocks. He skidded to a turn and saw Vergil's coattails go down another corner. Dante followed Vergil, calling out for him, and getting no response. The faster Dante seemed to run, the further away Vergil got. He ran, climbed, and jumped over any obstacle that may of been in his way. "_Vergil!_" He called out to his calmly walking brother, that was seeming to just vanish everytime Dante got too close.

Dante had lost track of where he was. Not very familiar with this part of town. Going through a doorway to a large circular building, he'd find himself inside a library. "...Vergil...where are you going?" He mumbled to himself. The others inside the library didn't see what Dante was seeing. They did however see a man with a large sword on his back.

"Sir...bringing a weapon is illeg--" The librarian was about to press the alarm when Dante spoke up.

"I'm Dante, the Demon Hunter. On business." Everyone in town knew that name. The fact that Dante was 'on business' here had prompted the librarian to instruct everyone to leave the library in an orderly fashion. Glancing around, Dante would catch sight of Vergil up on the top floor. Dante rushed the stairs, skipping several to get to the fourth floor as swiftly as possible.

Once there, he'd see Vergil turn toward one of the shelves, and step behind it. Not speaking, Dante quickly headed toward that area. Once he turned, however, he'd see a man dressed in a trench coat, body armor, and a wide cowboy hat. No Vergil. Dante was going to ignore this guy, but something was off. Something was in his hand as well. Something very interesting.

"...How'd you find me?" The man spoke up, placing the book of _Althena_ inside his coat. Showing his revolvers as a warning to Dante.

Giving a scoff, Dante would start to look around at the shelved books idly. "I don't know, dude. I guess I just followed my nose. Cheap beer and blood usually has that effect." He could smell the demonic power on this man...it was suppressed, but it was still there. He could also smell the blood he'd shed.

"Must work wonders when you're lookin' for a date." The man retorted, now facing Dante. "So, you're after the book, huh? Who educated you on it?"

"You did, just now. I was just lookin' for somebody when I ran into you. I think it's best that book is returned instead of taken." Out came Rebellion, it's sharp tip touching the carpeted flooring beneath their feet.

"...Not wearing that amulet huh?" The man chuckled, "...I'm gonna need that." Crouching down, he'd pop open his suit case, and fetched out one of two blade-less sword handles. The sword's design held a shark-like skull at it's peak, with hollowed eyes. The eyes glowed red as a large energy based blade was formed, about the same shape as Rebellion..if not _longer_. The man rushed forward and met Dante blade-to-blade with an impact that sent a powerful wave of energy away from their bodies.

The wave blew the shelves around them away, falling over like dominoes.

"Names _Chaos_, by the way." Chaos grinned, fire flailing around his form. His skin melted away as he became more demonic, putting the pressure on Dante. His Devil Trigger face was very shark-like. His body grew bigger, and his skin broke, seeming to have molten lava beneath his hardened flesh.

Dante could tell...by looking at the human face..then the demonic face...this was the creature he'd killed back at the mansion.

"Round two, huh?" Grunted Dante, being leaned back by the growing strength of the demon.

"Round two!" He shoved Dante away, making him break through the railing of the top floor. As Dante fell, Chaos jumped after him! Flipping himself over in mid-air, Dante began to open fire with Ivory on the descending triggered devil. He kept coming, however!

Dante caught himself against the railing of the second floor, and sprung away while Chaos sliced through the rail. Dante spun about, shooting through Chaos' back. Seeing the blood splatter against the second floor walls and rail remains, he could tell the bullets exploded out of the front. Landing in a kneel on the floor, Dante's eyes opened wide when a deep slash shot across his chest from Chaos, then another slash sending him upward.

Gritting his teeth, Dante put his gun away and once again drew Rebellion at the peak of his rise. In an explosion of flames, Dante's opposition was above him with two revolvers in hand. Twelve rapid shots came out from the guns total, and nine of them were sliced through by the falling Dante.

Three of the bullets made a new home in his forehead, collar, and chest. Hitting the ground forcefully, Dante rolled over quickly when he felt heat coming in. As he rolled, he saw a huge wave of flames rise up, setting much of the first floor on fire. Chaos started to stand from the flames he'd stabbed into the floor, chuckling madly.

Dante started to stand. The sprinklers were coming on, but they did little to stop Chaos' flames. "You're pretty tough," Dante admitted. "...Looks like I gotta go all out!" Though he had a trail of blood flowing from the hole in his forehead, he had a very pleased expression! Going into Devil Trigger, Dante rushed Chaos.

On an even playing field now, the two battled from corner to corner of the burning building. Dante using his guns only when Chaos got too far from him. Though the gun-play was about to pick up!

"Hah!" Cried Dante as his foot came up to kick the revolver out of Chaos' right hand. It sailed overhead...and with his left, Chaos slammed his currently held revolver into the falling gun. A burst of red light came forth, and the now double revolver was in his left hand. Teleporting back away from Dante, Chaos took it upon himself to combine his other two revolvers while he was rushed. Dante felt a little drained... but pressed forward.

With stronger firearms against him now, Dante had the task of jumping around the powerful bullets. The weakness in Chaos' game was the fact he _had_ to reload. When that time came, Dante rushed him, and unloaded on him with the flesh severing strikes. He actually managed to throw Chaos off his game enough to cause him to fall onto his back.

"Game over, buddy!" He shouted out, but his Devil Trigger had come to end. He noticed red energy leaving his body and toward the center of Chaos' chest!

"To the contrary..." Chaos stated, holding his hand upward to have the other sword handle from several burning stories up come to his hand. "Thanks for the energy!" The soul-sucking Chaos sent a wave of flames at Dante, who narrowly avoided full-on contact with it.

A motorcycle ripped through the doorway of the library. Dante and Chaos both looked toward the vehicle...and saw a woman upon it as she skidded to a stop just meters away from Chaos. "Eat this!" She called out as her Bazooka was swung from her back. Firing a round, Chaos would move aside rapidly, letting her do more damage to the library's structure instead!

"Nice meeting you, sweetheart." Chaos chuckled, sprouting two large wings from his back, flying like a bullet through the ceiling high above.

"Damnit! He's makin' a run for it!" Weakened, Dante stumbled forward. He was healing at least. He'd be at one hundred percent in a few minutes.

"Hop on!" Lady knew it wasn't good to stay in this collapsing spot for too long! Dante listened, and hopped behind her on the bike. He of course had to carry her Bazooka so she could safely drive with him.

"...I got a feelin' he's headin' to my shop for my damn amulet..." He growled as they peeled off. Though it sucked they had to chase down this strong demon...it was fun being behind Lady like this. As she sped through the streets, she was focused on reaching the shop so many blocks away from where they were. The Firemen were just arriving as she sped off.

"Your hands go anywhere I don't like, you're walking." She grumbled while she ducked through traffic.

"What if you _do_ like it? Come on. I just got my ass kicked. You should be more charitable."

"You should be walking!" She snapped back. Her cheeks were reddening, but she was annoyed with him already. She wanted to take down this demon anyway! Forget Dante.

"Hey-hey...I'm just joking." He lied. "How'd you find me anyway? Smoke signals?" Dante questioned, wincing a little as a deep gash in his head sealed up.

"I went to a bar I usually go to. Everyone but one person was dead." Lady explained. "...She said the killer was heading to the library. It smelled so much like a demon was there I had to check it out. How'd you run into that guy anyway?" She glanced back slightly, then back ahead of herself.

"...Vergil lead me to him."

************************  
**Next Mission!  
#05: Dante Must Die!**

************************  
This chapter was called 'Finding Answers' for two reasons. One, the title teases that I may reveal a lot of things about the plot. Two, the real reason is because it's finding out who Chaos is, and it's about to lead to finding out who or what Althena is by the end of the next two installments with Chaos. Why are souls being absorbed? Why so many from demons and humans? All in due time. Lets see if Dante can take down Chaos. Someone's going to go in this next chapter!**


	5. Mission:05 Dante Must Die Pt 1

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Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. This fic involves characters from the Devil May Cry Anime--Morrison and Patty Lowell.  
This is directly after the last chapter ended.  
************************

**MISSION: #5  
Dante Must Die!**

The motorcycle had arrived on the scene. It was too late, though.

"Patty!" Dante's mind immediately went to Patty Lowell, who he knew was in the burning Devil May Cry as Lady pulled up. They both hopped off the bike and charged the door. The flames were rising, and bodies were thrown all about. Dante's eyes first landed upon Patty laying wounded against his desk.

"Patty!" Dante barked out, rushing to her. She was still alive. Just cut along her side. "Lady, get her out of here!" He called back to her, and she wasted no time running over to pick up the child. Dante had to get things out himself. He was going to put this fire out! He saw his closet was broken open...that creep stole something. "...Wanna play with fire, huh?" Dante sounded much darker than usual. Holding his hand out, the three-headed Cerberus weapon flew into his gloved palm.

From the outside, Lady could see flashes of ice shoot all around, smothering the fire as the ice began to vanish away after arriving. She sat Patty down safely across the street. "Are you alright?" She asked, going into her small first-aid kit she kept along her belt with her guns.

"...He took...the sword..." Patty said weakly.

"Save your strength. I hear sirens already. You'll be fine, okay?" Lady started to tend to the wound as Dante had finally put the fire to rest with Cerberus.

Inside Devil May Cry, he saw Nevan laying on the floor next to the Jukebox. He approached her, and she started to push up onto her hands. "You're bleeding." He crouched down next to her, lending her a hand in getting back to her feet. Her wounds were healing much slower than usual. She was truly worn down. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Nevan only panted for a few seconds. "Force Edge was stolen. Don't worry about me...Alastor will help me recover." Pained, she fell to a knee, Dante supported her from totally collapsing. "Go...whatever he's doing...is drawing a massive demonic aura."

So _Chaos_had not only hurt those close to him...but also stole his father's sword? Releasing Nevan gently, he approached his desk. His mother's picture was turned over...shattered. He'd need a new frame once again. Elena Houston's framed Record probably had flame damage done to it. This guy was really pissing him off.

"You know what he's doing, don't you?" He kept his back to her, tucking Cerberus away.

"...We all know." Nevan took a breath. "...He's absorbing souls to feed and fully awaken the Devil known as _Althena_."

"A devil able to combine strengths of the souls it absorbs!" Rudra spoke from the closet.

"A devil, if given the right amount of souls, could hold the power to enter and exit this world as she sees fit!" Angi chimed in.

"A devil who can link herself to others. Just as Chaos....who is linked to her. How he did so, I'm not entirely sure, sugar..." Nevan tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Alastor knows more about Althena...but my dear brother refuses to speak..."

Dante had heard enough. This guy had to go down, and go down quickly. He turned and began heading through the broken doors, Evony in one hand, Ivory in the other. The ambulance and fire team had arrived--but Dante wasn't bothering with them. He walked to Lady's bike, and climbed on, starting it up.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" Lady called out to him, grabbing him by the forearm. No one took her bike without her blessing, that was for damn sure.

"...This Chaos guy is trying to fully awaken a devil. I can care less about his little game. He attacked a little girl, and that's something I don't take sitting down." He had fire and determination in his voice. He did not look her way at all. His eyes hidden beneath the ivory and bloodstained bangs of his.

Lady knew he was beyond angry. This was the Dante she remembered when she clashed with he and Vergil. "I'm going too." She mounted the back of the bike, strapping her bazooka across her chest tightly. She held onto Dante, who let the engine rip, propelling forward.

"I can feel him. We'll catch up with him in no time." He kept his eyes and mind fixated on what was ahead. This Chaos freak was going to die...one way or the other.

( **Meanwhile...on top of a building....**)

"Now after craving it for so long, Althena. Part of your mission can now be complete. The essense of that human woman...and of Sparda." Chaos said as he stood with Force Edge in one hand, _Vergil's_ amulet half in the other. "Lets get this over with. The army needs to grow." Chaos placed the amulet to the handle of Force Edge.

It melted right into it with a high pitched chime. The two items had become one. Rotating the blade, Chaos would impale himself through the stomach with a cringe of pain. Though he lost much blood, he remained hunched there, gritting his teeth. The blade started to glow--he was absorbing the energy from the Force Edge slowly. Removing the blade, his would started to heal...

"Damnit...that hurt." Complained Chaos, now trying to catch his breath. "Hopefully that will be enough, my Lady. Once it is over I will have your story read by the remaining masses....all will know who truly rules this world...."

Chaos' wound finally sealed."This can only happen after Dante is dead. You need his soul, my Lady. You need it, for it is one of the strongest I have ever felt..."

( **At ground level** )

"This is the spot." Dante hopped off the bike, reaching over his shoulder at Rebellion. "He's up on the rooftop."

Lady followed behind him, removing her bazooka from her back. "I'm coming with you to fight him."

"As long as you keep your eyes open. He's a crafty bastard. By all means I should be doing this alone. That way nobody gets hurt." He was still angry from Patty having to be put in harm's way. He had to make things right, now.

"I can handle myself." Were her words as she took aim upward. The blade at the end of her bazooka shot into the upper corner of the flat roof. She gave it a few tugs to see if it would support her weight. It was pretty sturdy. "Come on."

Dante could of made a smart remark about putting his arms around her, but he was focused on the task at hand--kicking Chaos' ass. The two zipped up the side of the building, until finally reaching the top. Dante was the first to swing over onto the ceiling. He gave Lady a helping hand up...however...that was a mistake.

Dante had his back to Chaos--and almost immediately, he got one of Chaos' energy blades through the torso, splattering Lady with his blood. "_Augh!_"Dante grunted, his hand releasing her hand, almost letting her drop down several stories below! She caught herself lucky enough.

Dante on the other hand had more problems. He was lifted off of his feet with that sword through him, then shot several times though the back and out the front while head aside like trash, the bleeding Dante rolled across the flat rooftop, catching his breath.

Lady had finally pulled herself up, strapping her bazooka to her back, and getting her handguns instead. she started to fire at the Chaos while he stalked toward Dante. None of the shots had any impact on him at all. "Damnit!" She put those guns away, and brought out her primary weapon, firing a single round at Chaos' back as he stood over Dante.

_BOOM!_

It was a direct hit! The smoke jumped up...but as it cleared, Chaos had been standing with a huge wound in his back...that was starting to heal. "...You really wanna piss me off, huh _Scarface?_" He gave a laugh as he turned to face her.

He had taken one step forward, when a chain wrapped around his waist. "Hm?!" Chaos felt a rush of ice overtake his body from the chained weapon--and before long, he was frozen in place! The ice did not last long, however, his flames burst him _right_ out of that situation!

Retracting Cerberus, Dante got back up to his feet, drawing out Rebellion. "C'mon!" He took a slice at Chaos successfully, feeling his anger intensify with each satisfying swipe, leaving chunks of burning flesh on the ground.

Chaos was good, however. Dante was getting little rushes of adrenaline every time the man fought back. He was gasping each time he was _almost_ beheaded by the powerful swings. Chaos summoned forth Force Edge in his left hand, starting to overpower Dante with his use of two swords.

"_Lady!"_ Dante grunted in the heat of combat, "_Get the hell out of here!"_He could see this wasn't going to go well. She was a ranged fighter, not a swordswoman in the slightest.

However, stubborn was one thign she was. She provided support fire for Dante with her guns...looking for a good opening to attack this powerful demon. When the time was right, Lady shot a rocket right toward Chaos' side. The impact was so great, from the explosion, Force Edge went flying through the air and over the side of the building!

She didn't give herself any time to celebrate, however. She was still in this fight! Getting her next round ready, she would find Dante thrown across the ground by Chaos--and she herself was rapidly approached by the demon. The fearless woman got ready to release her next shot, when her missile was danced around by the agile beast. "_Shit!_"

She felt a hot hand wrap around her throat--she couldn't get away from him! Was this it for her?

"Say good-bye to the bad girl!" The devil formed Chaos cackled, tossing Lady _clean_ over the edge of the building. She had little room for error if she was going to save herself.

Dante didn't say a word, off instinct and adrenaline, he pushed himself to his feet and dove right off the side of the building. Lined up perfectly, Dante scooped Lady into his arms. With a flipping motion, he'd land hard in a kneel. She wouldn't of even had time to draw her weapon to catch herself had he not been there.

Still, no 'Thank you, Dante' was given. Not now at least. He didn't even expect it.

"He's getting weaker...." Dante noted, still panting. Rebellion was drawn out once again...and sure enough, Chaos landed in the vacant city street, just a block away from that burned library.

"This is when a demon is most desperate..." Lady got to her feet...getting in position to fight.

"So...you two don't want to go down without a fight, hm?" Chaos gave a hearty laugh. "...Well, it seems it's high time I absorbed a soul to boost my energy. So...who's it going to be...?"

"--Your mother." Lady responded, taking aim at Chaos.

"A bastard that attacks children has a mother...? Here I thought he was just a mutated piece of shit." Dante chipped in, lifting Rebellion to point it at the opponent. "C'mon. The more you do, the more you expend your energy. Must be why you're not flyin' away, huh?"

Dante was right. He could feel the decline in energy the more they fought. Then...he felt something at his feet. Two black circles opened up beneath he and Lady. Little bony demon hands grabbed their feet, ankles, and legs, binding them in place. No matter how they fought it, they couldn't get free!

"Let's play a little game of Devil's Roulette...." Up into the air Chaos' sword went. It spun around like a cyclone, picking out it's victim at random. "Who's going to be the first one to die? Is it going to be that little girl at the hospital? Is it going to be Scarface, or is it going to be you, Dante?" Chaos cackled in madness, "It doesn't matter, because you won't be able to go anywhere once this sword goes through you!"

The sword stopped. Dante's eyes widened. He looked to Lady, who seemed to stop fighting her captors. She knew she was going to be the one to go.

"Lady! What are you doing?! Keep fighting it!" With his sword, Dante moved his arm, swinging and slicing at the demons hands at her feet. Many of them were severed, but she still didn't fight it. "Lady! Move it! Come on!"

The sword sped downward at record speeds. Lady kept her eyes on the impending doom. Dante was focused on getting her out of the way. The closer the sword got, the more Lady began to look Dante's way. A look of shock was on those mix-matched eyes of her's. The sword wasn't coming to her at all...it was coming to him.

"Dante! Look ou--!" She couldn't even finish.

A flash of light.

The sound of flesh giving way to the blade.

Dante gasped out.

His eyes wide, he looked ahead of himself, shivering. Most people would of closed their eyes when their death was head-on with them. Not Dante. He wanted to see it. Though he would not see it this time. He saw something else.

Infront of him was pale blue skin and red hair. Nevan had appeared just feet in front of Dante, and now had a sword going through her abdomen.

Lady and Dante stood in disbelief. Nevan lifted her hands up--summoning her bats to devour and sever those little hands holding the feet of Dante and Lady down. They of course moved out of range of those little circles.

"...Say good-bye to Patty for me, s-...sugar..." Nevan began to fizzle out. "D-...Don't let him win....Dante..." Were her words until she finally vanished, being absorbed right into the sword.

"Nevan...?? Nevan?!" Dante tried to race toward her, but she was gone. This day...was just getting **worse**. The sword returned to chaos...crackling with electricity. Once he took hold of it, his flames became currents of popping energy. He sprouted a second energy sword from his left hand, and grew in size. Slightly smaller than Nelo Angelo. More and more armor started to form on his body.

"Yes...the power of one of the gate keepers! Ha ha!" Chaos' voice had gotten much darker after that absorbation. Electric bats began to swarm and flutter all around the block. Lady, still in shock, had a moment of hesitation there, and finally drew her guns out to start picking those bats out of the air.

Dante held his head down...then looked back up with a fire in his eyes. "...Okay, dude...this ends **here!**" With those words, Dante rushed right toward the powered up Chaos!

*****  
( Next Mission! )  
**Mission: #06 Dante Must Die! Pt 2**


	6. Mission:06 Dante Must Die Pt 2

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Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. This fic involves characters from the Devil May Cry Anime--Morrison and Patty Lowell.  
************************

**MISSION: #06  
Dante Must Die! Pt 2**

Dante took to the air and met Chaos halfway. The two made so many rapid clashes, that even the fluttering bats were turned into confetti all around them. Chaos teleported away from Dante to gain some ground. As he fell to the concrete below, Dante landed in a kneel, pulling Cerberus out from his coat.

Chaos drew his two revolvers and now merged them into one long four barreled firearm. Taking aim, Chaos shot rapid rounds at Dante, flicking the gun around, showing off his expertise with the weapon. As the shots came in, Dante, with the help of Cerberus, flung the bullets right back at Chaos, who danced around them with some difficulty.

"Impressive!" Chaos voice boomed out. A swarm of bats charged Dante from all sides, armed to the teeth with thousands of volts of electricity. Lady had done her best to watch Dante's back, but she had to stay alive as well!

Instead of drawing his guns, he spun Cerberus overhead, creating a large spinning shield of ice around himself, freezing and destroying the incoming bats. As the shield faded, Dante was nowhere to be found. Chaos had anticipated seeing him, so he had stabbed down in the spot the shield formerly was located. He only stabbed through the concrete, creating a shock wave through the ground. Where was Dante?

"Huh?" Chaos looked to the left.

"Where are you boy?" Then to the right. Nothing was there.

_...Click._

A gun pressed into the back of Chaos' skull. "Later dude..."

Dante squeezed the trigger five times, but before the first bullet could even make contact, Chaos was gone. "Hm?!"

Dante felt the four barrels pressed into the back of his head. "Good-bye!" Chaos chuckled out.

...._Click!_

Chaos had a _Rocket Launcher_ pointed at the side of his head.

_BOOM!_

Dust enveloped the three, as Chaos was sent flying away from them, landing in a heap against a building wall.

"I never was for witty comments." Lady said pulling Kalina Ann back, looking to Dante.

"Thanks, babe...." Dante was trying to be himself...but the loss of Nevan was still heavy on his heart. Drawing Ebony and Ivory out, Dante was ready for Chaos to rise. Before he knew it, Chaos was gone again.

"Hugh!!" Lady gulped loudly as a hand wrapped around her throat. Her skin started to grow pale as her feet dangled. _Chaos_ was draining her soul!

He only had about a second to do so. Dante had put his guns away and Rebellion was high in the air. A downward slice, and Chaos' entire arm from the elbow down was severed from his body. Blood splattered across Dante's menacing face. Lady fell to the ground coughing...but she was still alive. Roaring in pain, Chaos jumped back, defending himself with his single sword, growing a second blade from his bloody stump of an arm out of the dark mass of bats with Nevan's power.

"You're really _pissin' me off, dude!_" Said between clinched teeth. Dante's demonic blood was boiling. It wanted to be released, where it would be at it's strongest. His heart was beating a mile a minute. He was starting to hear whispers in his head to use his power. Whispers that had been in his ears each time he used his Devil Trigger, but they were often mistaken for the wind.

He ignored this lust for blood. He couldn't help Chaos get stronger. However, he was outmatched. Dante was impaled so many times by Chaos in their new series of clashes. It was taking it's toll on him. Buildings were getting damage done to them, streets were broken into, and the authorities were kept at bay by the swarm of bats. No one was stopping this fight. This one had to end with a death.

Finally, Dante was bested. One hard swipe across the face and he was sent hurling down to the ground. Rebellion was tossed into the air. It came down, stabbing right into the concrete next to him.

Panting, Chaos would watch. He then began to chuckle in satisfaction. He'd defeated the almighty son of Sparda. "This could of been a lot easier if you'd just give up your soul to Althena. Let her use it to complete her mission..." Chaos lowered his swords. He knew Dante was done.

"...Screw...her mission..." Weakly, Dante sat up...grabbing the handle of Rebellion to get to his feet.

"Ha ha. Still got a mouth huh? Kid, you're amazing." Chaos stepped closer."Well, you're outmatched. Sucks to be a single swordsman huh?" He chuckled, showing off the two blades he possessed.

Dante heard that voice again...this time, it was louder. It was screaming Nevan's name. The electricity was building behind Dante's neck. He knew just what was happening.

"Got a surprise for you, dude..." He held his left hand out. From seemingly nowhere, _Alastor_ ripped through the streets and stopped in Dante's grip. In the right, was Rebellion. "_...I'm ambidextrous_." The surge of energy Alastor provided allowed Dante to spring at Chaos.

The clashes they made were equal, with Dante able to parry and stab just as Chaos was. A sudden hard slice was given, and Chaos roared in pain! One of his wings were severed from his back by the quick moving Dante. "C'mon!" Dante barked out, kicking Chaos' spine in. As the demon stumbled forward, Dante wound Alastor back and threw it.

The sword ripped through the air and stabbed through Chaos' chest. The sword continued to glide, pinning Chaos to a building! Grunting and groaning as he fought to pull the blade out, Chaos didn't notice Alastor was sucking in all of the electric energy Chaos had stolen, disabling him from using his full strength!

Dante raced in. Slashes came like flashes of light, each one tearing a chunk away from chaos. After a wide rounded swipe that killed nearby bats, Dante began to stab and jab into Chaos body, all around Alastor. Once Dance Macabre was done, Dante yanked Alastor out of Chaos torso.

"Graaugh!" Chaos grunted in pain. "...Finish it...though I may die..." He coughed blood out as his body slid to a sitting position. "Another Chaos will rise..._ha ha ha..._I gladly...sacrifice myself..."

"Shut up." Several shots came off from left field. Dante watched as Chaos eyes went wide, finally rolling over in death. He hadn't done anything to him. Lady was the one who finished him off, even if she was drained. Catchingh is breath, the bloody Dante would slide Rebellion at the back of his torn coat, and held Alastor in his left hand. Reaching down he pulled the slightly burned Book of Althena from Chaos' corpse as it turned to ashes. He tucked the book under his left arm. Approaching Lady, he would extend his hand to her.

She took it, getting up to her feet. All the bats finally collapsed and vanished from sight. Dante still didn't seem pleased. He just started walking back toward Devil May Cry.

"...Dante." Lady spoke out, grasping his arm. "I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do."

He remained in place, looking up to the sky. "...We can still make things right." He said, looking through the skies.

Lady released him, hearing the police sirens now closing in. "I'll meet up with you later." She started to walk away from the scene. Cops never wanted to hear the story. Dante left as well, going his own seperate way. Though he was still angry. He had to avenge Nevan by getting rid of this _Althena_...whoever that was.

( **Elsewhere...** )

Somewhere dark...somewhere damp...somewhere miles beneath the surface of the Earth was a throne room. Inside, lights flickered. The iron knights were lined up leading to the very throne where someone say. They say as if they too were made of stone...though something was off about them.

Bats began to flutter inside the domain, and electricity started to flutter around the sitting person's body. It was revealed to be a woman's body sitting at the throne. Her hair began to take the color of white, her fingers tightened on the arms of her throne, her odd circular amulet started to light up.

Her eyes opened...and the first words to escape Althena's lips were....

"_My dearest loathed Eva...thank you for baring such a strong soul...."_

She lifted her hand before her face..."_...And now...thousands of demon souls flow through my body...even a gatekeeper of the Temen-Ni-Gru...."_ She crackled with electricity."_....__**My**__Temen-Ni-Gru..., Nevan,....is within my pool of souls..."_

She began to chuckle, lowering her arms. "_....I need more power. Mundus will know my might...."_ She began to laugh madly, as the bats fluttered all through her throne room, cloaking it in darkness once more.

*****  
( Next Mission! )  
**Mission: #07 The Awakening of Althena  
**


	7. Mission:07 The Awakening of Althena

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Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. This fic involves characters from the Devil May Cry Anime--Morrison and Patty Lowell.  
Kinda long, I know. These are the final 6 chapters. R&R please!  
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**MISSION: #07  
The Awakening of Althena**

Althena's limbs were now fully powered. She still needed more power to operate at her full strength, however. Coming to a stand, the long white hair of the woman would fall behind her ankles. She was dressed in a black leather full-body suit with golden glyph-like designs upon it's overall design.

The woman's body flashed golden as a glimpse of her Devil Trigger was shown, but it was far too fast to gather any specific details. Her stiff bones cracked, now allowing her to take steps forward. Groaning in pain with every movement she made until her bones were all loosened up.

"Urd!" Althena shouted out, "Verdani!" She continued on, "Skuld! Come to your mistress!" Her command was met by three bright lights that appeared just feet away from Althena and her throne. Three human shaped masses of energy appeared before her. All three having the shape of a female body. They had no eyes it seemed, nor mouths. They also seemed to all have short hair based on their outlines.

"There you are...." Althena looked over her servants briefly. "Sparda's bastard of a son has the rest of what I need...." Reaching down, Althena would examine the circular amulet about her neck. It had three empty shapes within it.

"My Lady," The feminine ghostly voice of Urd spoke out. "He is bound to arrive here. Have it be on accident, or by lure."

"He's been very lucky finding his way around as of late." Skuld added in as she shifted her weight to another leg.

"He will arrive. It is destined." Verdani finally added her two cents.

"Has Arius made use of what I left him?" Althena directed her words to the elder of the sisters, Urd, who knew such things.

Urd gave it some thought, looking into time and space itself to see the doings of a single soul. Her mind rushed through chains of events until she landed on one that fit the request. "Yes. He started production of dolls much like your army..." Urd trailed off. "However the first prototype was effected by the power of your amulet. It became defective." Urd was sorry to report such. Though it was the truth.

Althena growled. "Defective?! Perhaps the sorcerer is uneducated on how to handle this power!" She walked past the sisters, and headed out of the throne room, breaking the doors open with a powerful palm between the shut doors. "My greatest worshiper has no idea how to use my amulet. What of the Argosax and Despair?" She directed her question back at Urd.

She placed her fingers on the side of her head and began to think. She and her sisters floated above the ground as they followed Althena out of the throne room. "He is still trying to find means to summon it. Despair is still in slumber."

"...Carnage and Destruction?" Althena stopped in her place. Things started to suddenly sound interesting.

"Carnage and Destruction are also slumbering. A man broke their seals but did not utlize them after the Temen-Ni-Gru was awakened." Urd was happy to announce that to her mistress.

"Good. Once I have all of my power, I will revive all three of them myself. Mundus will not stand a chance." Althena proceeded onward, heading toward a large lift at the end of the room. She and the sisters got in. "How long until Arius awakens the Argosax and Despair, Skuld?"

The youngest of the three sisters was happy to answer. "Several years, Lady Althena. However, it is blurry on how it all pans out. I see interference from the son of Sparda, Dante."

"_Dante_" Althena muttered, as the lift began to go upward. "I knew he was trouble from the day I heard of his birth...and his miserable mother...she had no right to do what she did to such a demon as Sparda." She trailed off, examining her amulet one final time. "What must I do to break the seal on my dwelling, and begin opening my personal door to the demon world?" The question was once again directed to Skuld.

"You must simply remove Masamune and Muramasa from the Stix Lake several floors above will also need some of Sparda's energy...and the energy of a pure one. A pure woman is a close friend of Sparda's son."

"Good," Althena lowered her amulet finally. "I also need a new Chaos. My personal messenger...I believe the only one fit for the job is either Arius or Dante himself..."

"Or the half-demon residing in the demon world named _**Griever**_." Skuld added, "He has created a dwelling for those who do not respect their demon heritage. He is strong, and could be turned by such power."

Althena was interested. The lift had reached it's desired floor. It was a long path ahead of herself..."...I'll keep that in mind. Where are Dante and the girl now?" She turned her head toward Verdani now.

"Dante is returning home. The woman is already there." Verdani gave a nod of her head.

"Good. If they do not arrive on their own in the next few hours, lure them. The offspring of Eva better be as good a warrior as I...or I will be sorely disappointed." She parted ways with the sisters, heading down the long path ahead of herself. The 'Castle' of her's was actually inverted. Instead of going upward, it was all underground. The peak of the castle was thousands of miles beneath the surface. However..._why_ was it all beneath Eva's Parent's former home?

( **Elsewhere, At Devil May Cry **)

Dante pushed open the front doors. His coat was still ripped all over the place, but all of his wounds had healed. He was back at peak performance. His head was down until he shut the door, seeing Lady inside the office, sitting upon his couch. "Lights are gone, huh?" Dante gave a sigh. "From the fire?"

Lady was only partially visible through the moonlight pouring through the windows at the front of the office. "No. There was a note left here about an hour ago. Light company." She had a few bandages on her. Minor injuries, but she would be fine.

"Just my luck. You'd think they'd give a guy a break. I suppose I'll have to break out some candles then. Hope you don't mind the romantic atmosphere." He was joking of course--trying to be more like his normal self. Dante had that book under his arm still. He had taken it with him where ever he'd been since parting with Lady.

"Augh." She sounded like she was disgusted by the idea in every way. "Look, just because I'm trying to comfort you doesn't mean I'm going to get _that_ comfortable." She had a very unconvincing argument.

"Yeah yeah, I know the deal."He tossed his coat off to the side--Alastor and Rebellion along with it. Dante then sat on the couch right next to her, placing the book right on the coffee table in front of it.

Lady sat in silence for only a few moments. Though she had a distaste for demons, she had to admit she'd grown a strong friendship with Dante...even with his devil arms. People and things could change under the right circumstances. "Where did you go?" She questioned Dante. She had been at his office for a while now, and there was no sign of him even opening the doors.

"Went to check on Patty." Dante rested his elbows on his knees, keeping his eyes locked on the moonlight spread across the floor.

"How is she doing?" Lady saw he wasn't going to go into details unless asked.

"She'll live." He gave an exhausted exhale, "It wasn't anything major. She'll be there for a while though. Morrison already contacted her new mom. He's staying the night there."

Lady figured some hospital rules prevented Dante from staying as well. "One visitor sleep-over rule?"

"Nah," He rested his cheek against his fist. "Got in a fight with security. Apparently it's not nice to carry swords in a hospital. They kicked me out. Jackasses."

Lady rolled her eyes, leaning back into her seat. "You're such an idiot, Dante." She spoke out.

"Yeah? Well you're a bitch." He spoke back, with no real emotion behind it at all. He was only being a smart-ass.

"So are you. Getting all defensive. At least I'm the right kind, you're just a crybaby." She closed her eyes and crossed one leg over the other. She felt victorious.

Dante fell silent. Lady wasn't sure what to make out of it. She had never seen Dante like this for longer than a few seconds. He put on a tough act, but he was very soft on the inside. He was depressed by the injury of Patty and the loss of Nevan. She heard a sniffle. As a friend, she sat up and placed an arm around Dante's shoulders. "Hey..., are you okay?" Her voice was softened. It would of been motherly if she had such experience.

"Just a little cold. I'll be fine." His excuses were getting weaker every time. '_Just the rain' _was probably his best one.

They were alone. It was dark inside, only lit by the moon. Dante was in need of comfort, and no one was there--or at least visible to make her feel awkward. She acted off instincts. She gave him a seated hug, turning him more toward her. He didn't return it at first, but once he did, he buried his face against her neck. She could tell he was really hurt since he didn't try to make any rude comments or do anything to make her regret trying to be a friend.

She held the back of his head, affectionately giving him pats on the back and repeating silently, "_It will be alright"_Every few seconds. She could feel Dante's tears on her skin. He felt weak. Worthless. To him, it was a similar feeling to the death of his mother, the momentary loss of Trish, and the loss of Vergil. They shared this moment for a while. It was only by Dante's need to be a strong man that he pulled away from her softly. Giving one last sniffle.

"We're never gonna speak of this, huh?" He said, starting to stand up now.

Lady just smiled, only half of her face shown in the moonlight. "Of course. Unless you want to lose your rare friend privileges." She was of course regarding to showing him _some_affection when he wasn't being a greaseball. They were friends after all. She knew if she needed a hug, Dante would be there for her. Unless he was just trying to cop a feel.

"Gotcha." He approached his closet. "Alright guys. Everybody out. Ifrit, Artemis, Angi, Rudra, somebody drag Beowulf too." Dante hated using Beowulf. With what conscience it had left, it would often squeeze down on his limbs, trying to crush his bones. Since Beowulf was dead, he could never revert into physical form. It was just a vessel. It was like Greyon to an extent. That wild horse could only appear for very short periods.

The weapons glowed various colors. Some of them reverted into a stone shape as they floated out. Alastor and Rebellion stood at attention near Dante's desk. No matter how many times Lady saw this, it always gave her the creeps.

"Alright guys..." Dante said, looking over his weapons. "Althena. I've got her book but I can't read Latin. Plus it's kinda burned. Nevan told me Alastor knew about it...but he's still mute..._damn bastard_..." He muttered under his breath. "Who here can tell me the story about this Althena, and whatever the hell's going on."

"_Althena. Creator of Temen-Ni-Gru." _Ifrit's deep voice spoke out from the stone-form he was now in._ "Creator of the clan who helped construct it. She who empowers Demons with power beyond their dreams. She who sucks the souls of Demons into her very own."_

"Yes! Althena was the very first to use Devil Arms. Once the science was figured out, all high ranking demons learned to use their own souls to become weapons and live on!" Rudra spoke out.

"However, Althena was cruel. She absorbed souls of demons and humans. She never gave anything back. Even Devil Arms were prisoners to her command. Never to have free will again." Angi added in.

"_Althena is a great Devil who has the power to give even weak demons power beyond their wildest dreams."_Ifrit continued, "_She gives one worthy soul the power of a true devil. A reaper of souls for her to collect. The one true one demon legion...Chaos. All under her command."_

Dante folded his arms in thought.

"So that thing we faced was Chaos right? So you're saying she can just make another like that?" Lady started to her feet, now interested in this story.

Artemis began speaking in ancient tongues. What she said wasn't understood, until Angi translated for them.

"She says, '_Yes. She can make another one as long as their body can handle the transformation. If she so desired, she could make several. Though she would require several demons with strong souls'_."

"So you _are_useful for something." Dante grinned toward where he heard Angi's voice.

"_Dante,"_Ifrit butted in, "_It is a similar transformation as what your brother was met with. Nelo Angelo."_ This had Dante's attention. Lady's too--at the sheer mention of Vergil. "_Mundus is very powerful, but he and Althena have very different approaches. Mundus is able to change demons who have strong souls into his slaves at the cost of their memories..."_ Ifrit paused..., "_Althena, however, changes demons who have strong souls, at the cost of their soul."_

"Memories can be regained. Your soul cannot."Alastor finally spoke up. Lady and Dante both seemed shocked at this. The sword's voice continued on. "Like at Temen-Ni-Gru, Althena's castle Shiro Souru, requires Sparda and a pure one. Not their blood...but a little of their soul's energy. With this it will fully activate her castle and give her access to all realms."

"So how do we stop this crazy chick?" Dante wasn't seeing an upside to this at all.

"You must use the Masamune blade against her. It is only found inside the Shiro Souru." Alastor responded.

"Where do we find this...Shero...whatever?"

"Back to where you first saw your brother. Follow Vergil." Alastor said, and then returned to silence.

Lady started to look around. Vergil was alive?! Dante, however, only looked toward the door. Lo and behold, there Vergil stood. Lady could now see him too. She stood firmly in place, as if she was ready to fight.

"Rebellion, Ifrit, Angi and Rudra. You're coming with me." Dante went into his closet to fetch a new coat. Vergil was gone in the blink of an eye. The heavy gauntlets turned into energy and bound to Dante's form. Angi and Rudra did the same. As for Rebellion, it flung onto his back.

"What was that I just saw?" Lady was questioning if she truly saw Vergil or not. She then took notice of Dante getting suited up. "Hey, where are you going?""

Dante collected Lady's Kalina Ann and handed it to her. "To my grandparent's mansion's remains. That's where we'll find Althena." He had a new focus in his eyes, walking through the doors and out into the darkness...

*****  
( Next Mission! )  
**Mission: #08 Temptation**

**Stay tuned for the next installment!**


	8. Mission:08 Temptation

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Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. This fic involves characters from the Devil May Cry Anime--Morrison and Patty Lowell.**

**WARNING-- **_**Some**_** mature content in this chapter! Some Dante x Lady, too.  
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**MISSION: #08  
Temptation**

It was one of the longest walks Althena had ever taken in her long lifetime. The long stone hallway was covered in wide orange bricks, torches, and engravings of the _Seven Hells_--the demons most commonly found in _her_Temen-Ni-Gru. She would sometimes stop to examine the carvings of her creations. They were still protecting her castle, even if she'd been sealed away by Sparda.

Finally, she reached the end of the hall. It was a dead end. The wall was what Sparda created to make sure if Althena ever did awaken, she would never see the light of the Earth ever again. The one thing he did not anticipate, however, was Althena's resources...she knew there was a way around even the toughest of seals inside her own dwelling.

She lifted her index finger on her left hand. The white nail at it's tip began to blacken and sharpen to a fine point. Opening her right palm, Althena slashed her finger downward into it. With a splatter of crimson blood, she would turn her cold eyes onto the wall in front of her.

Pressing her bloody palm against the wall, the sudden twitch of actual pain zipped through her forearm. Her blood meshed with the stone, even if the dusty material was causing her more pain. Yelling several words in unknown tongues, the wall started to tremble. The top two corners glowed brightly in a their own separate spheres.

At the center of the wall, a bigger sphere glowed. The top two were gold and blue while the center was a blazing red. Soon, all the colors burst from the wall leaving behind chunks of rubble that floated in a trail behind them.

Each color collided, becoming a united white color. Althena just watched, not impressed by the display before her. She removed her hand from the wall, and took a few steps back while the light began to bend and mold into a complete image. The image of one large golden mask with three sets of eyes. This was a great oracle of the demon world --**Trismagia**. Three oracles in one.

Giving a shuddering gasp as it awoke from it's slumber, Trismagia would look down upon Althena. "_The blood of Sparda...."_ It's voice could make even a penguin shiver. Chilling and haunting with every word it slowly whispered forth. "_You must atone for your sins..."_

Althena wasn't afraid at all if one examined what she was doing. The woman had actually turned her back on Trismagia! She had been waving her hands about, doing a variant of hand signs in front of herself. Soon, she would spin around, now with her catsuit glowing golden.

Once the light died down a second later, her chosen attire had a deeper dipping neck that went nearly down to her navel in a "V" shape, a tighter fit to her perfect form, and a long split ended coat tail that ended just behind her calves. In her hands was the legendary blade itself--a blade that could rend the very soul of a demon from it's body in a single swipe--_Force Edge_. When 'Chaos' had absorbed it's power, he'd _actually_transferred it directly to Althena. Dante hadn't even noticed.

"My sins, hm? Well, what if I don't feel like it?" She challenged the oracle, pacing from one side to the other nonchalantly. "Besides, a devil like myself doesn't need to atone for her sins. Though I'm curious as to what sins you're referring to, _Tiki_." She teased the mask, not caring if it brought it's wrath out. It was truly no challenge for her.

"..._Even in defeat you still have that tongue."_Trismagia gave a low grumble, "_I speak of your greatest sin. Birthing the traitor, Sparda."_

A shocking development. Someone actually knew of the connection between herself and Sparda. Just when she thought she'd killed them all to save a bit of face. Though this thing _was_an oracle...it was bound to know. "Ouch." She winced a little, "Don't hate me because I had one lonely night too many." She joked, pointing up at the oracle. "Sparda was his own demon. I tried to get him to think clearly, but we all know how that worked."

Althena stood firmly in place to continue to speak. "I fought against my son years ago to try and make up for that. Then I got sealed here after my secret weapon backfired..." Narrowing her eyes in disappointment at her failure, she would begin to idly swing Force Edge around. "I had the perfect weapon designed to send Sparda back to hell. I wasn't aware it would kill him from it's side effect alone...., but that is all ancient history...once I get out of here, Mundus and God himself will be under my heels. I need to finish this just as I started it."

Rotating the sharp weapon with a flick of her wrist, she would point toward Trismagia. "So, you can help me find the secret passages in the walls...or, I can just take your soul forcefully. Your choice, _Tiki_." She placed Force Edge at her back then.

It was not very pleased with Althena's attitude--but she could back her words up. Closing each of it's eyes, Trismagia had faded into a white spark...darting right to Althena's face, knocking her to the ground with a thunderous impact. Sending her legs in the air, and her skull into the stone pavement, denting it. This would of killed any normal person within seconds.

Once her legs began to hit the ground...Althena's feet let off a jet stream of burning energy! The power of the explosion sent her up and backward in a complete flip. While in the air, Althena's arms extended out on either side of herself. Long spikes of ice would be generated in either palm as oxygen was frozen around her hands. Gripping these 'darts', Althena woulld send them down toward the ground in a frenzy. They landed close together, their flat tops making something of a platform for her.

She landed on top of the slick tops, snapping her fingers to complete her landing. The snap generated two gauntlets over her forearms that seemed to be forged from stone. The gauntlets held four barrelts on them at the top of her forearms. She took aim, sending rounds of electricity jolting into the ground around the large ice darts. Shooting more and more, Althena began to carve a circle around herself with the thunder bolts, as well as a few designs.

Leaping off, having her fall slowed by the flames shooting from her heels like a jet pack, she would start to look back at her she left ended up looking like a bulls eye with the ice darts right in the center. Landing softly on her feet now, Althena would flick her long hair--just as that horrid mask was forming over the contours of her face. "_Nice_." Her voice was combined with the three existing of the mask.

"Though the thunder stands out, thanks to Nevan...." She started to walk back down that long hall. "So, not giving me _all_your power, hm? That's fine. Just let me see what I need.." She wouldn't be using this mask much for combat. It's elements were basic at best. However, what she got to see was well worth it. She could see blank spots in the wall that she could walk through. Stopping beside one, Althena reached out to it, feeling her hand go through a jelly-like substance. Deciding it was safe, she walked through the rippling wall, and was now on her way _around_the seal Sparda cast....

( **Outside the ruins of the Mansion...** )

Lady's motorcycle had pulled up at the yellow tape that surrounded the ruins of the mansion Dante detonated...the former mansion of Eva's parents. Getting off the bike, Dante had stepped right to the yellow taping, stepping under it to progress further. Lady wasn't too far behind him, constantly adjusting her bazooka.

The walk was generally silent. They could hear small crunches of rocks heard in every step, as well as the chirping of crickets in the night. The silence was broken when Dante spoke up. "You know, I've always wondered, Lady," Dante said, giving a glance over toward her while they walked down the rubble driveway. "My parents left me all kinds of things. That bazooka you got...your mother's name is on it, right?"

Lady decided to cut him off right there. "Last time I told you this story you fell asleep on me." She scowled. "Save it for another time. Let's get this job done first." Turning her attention forward again, she would try not to let her anger for Dante falling asleep on one of her most personal stories get in the way of her work here.

"Yeah? Well, if you don't remember, we'd just killed like two hundred demons or some crap. I was tired." They approached the front of the ruined home, "When I woke up you were already gone. Didn't even get lipstick on the collar." He knew exactly how to tease her, always insisting there was a more-than-friendly attraction between the two of them.

Most would expect her to shoot Dante for something like that, but she would waste her bullets on him. Instead, she gave him a quick crack behind the head with one of her pistols. Yes, pistol whipping was a little better for her stress.

"Ow!...Hey, you could be a little more lady-like. Maybe a slap would of been better?" Sorely rubbing the back of his bleeding head, he winced while looking over to her.

Though she wouldn't shoot, she still held her gun to him.

"Just because my name is _Lady_ doesn't mean I have to be _lady-like_." She lowered her gun, starting to look over the mass of charred wood. "So, where do we start?" Holstering her gun, she would step into the wreck one foot at a time, watching where she stepped.

"We look until we find something." Dante had jumped right in, now with those burning gauntlets forming over his forearms. "This should speed things up! Lets get started!" Winding his fist backward, he would uppercut, jab, and kick large chunks of wood toward the sky, clearing out much of the lot by himself. Cheering with _'Yeah' _and _'woo'_ every other movement_._

While Dante indulged in his child-like need for violence, Lady picked through the remains a little bit at a time. Not wanting to miss a single detail. On occasion, she would take a glance over at Dante. It was cute sometimes how immature he could be. Though he may of been more up Trish's alley.

On that note, Lady did find it weird she considered them a pair, since Trish looked...exactly like his mother.

She had gotten the absolute worst mental image of that, and just focused her attention back on digging with her hands. It seemed nothing was coming up at all. Just more rubble and wood with every movement of her hand. Though something felt...off. Reaching for one of her automatic pistols, Lady aimed it ahead of herself. "Hold it!"

She shouted--and that got Dante's attention, even in the middle of his rampage. Lady had kept a steady hand, aiming right for the one who stood several feet in front of her..._Vergil_.

"...What are you doing here?" She started to rise slowly. "You're dead, aren't you?" Taking a cautious step forward, Lady wouldn't even wait for Dante. Vergil remained motionless where he stood.

"Lady! Don't get too close!" Dante had to warn her. If Vergil wasn't playing nice, she'd be cut in half in the blink of an eye. He started to run to the scene to keep the mortal woman away from harm.

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing!" She looked over her shoulder to Dante...however when she looked back, Vergil was gone. "..W...what?" Starting to look around herself high and low...she would not find a single trace of Vergil.

Dante finally arrived at her side--having taken his eyes off his brother for a split second as well. "Damnit...he was just --" Date paused pulling out his twin pistols, shooting in the area Vergil had stood. Each shot revealed more and more flooring, breaking apart wooden planks over the top of it. The flooring was actually a _door_...

"...Huh..." Spinning each gun, he'd holster them within his coat. "Looks like we found the way in."

Lady was starting to draw some conclusions...was Vergil being their guide? "Open it. I can't." Truth was she didn't want to. If demons came pouring out, Dante could take more fatal damage than she could head on. "I'll cover you."

"Yeah yeah...lets get this party started..." Crouching down, Dante would slide his fingers around the door's handle on the ground, and rip upward with all his might, snatching the door right from the Earth. Below was a long dark staircase that went straight down into the black abyss.

"Angi, Rudra..." Dante called, as each sword began to take physical form in his hands.

"Yes, Master!" Both spoke at once.

"Gonna need some light. So...get to it." Dante held the blades right-side up, using Angi as the torch, and Rudra to keep feeding the fire to brighten it. As Dante started down the stairs, Lady followed behind him, watching their back. "You and your handy Devil Arms..."

"So, about that cannon...that's your mom's name, huh?"

"I'm **still** not going to repeat my story!"

"Suit yourself Kalina Ann."

"Don't speak **her** name jackass!"

"So it _is_ your mom's name huh? Cute." A gunshot was heard down the stairway. Dante _actually_yelled out in pain. "Gah! Hey! What the hell?! You shot me in the ass!"

"Serves you right!"

(**Inside Althena's Castle...**)

Althena's long black boots were the first to step through the now rippling wall. Next would be her long, shapely legs which were clung to by the leather material of her body suit. The golden stripes over the black suit traveled over her knees and then coiled like a serpent around her thick thighs. As her waist passed though, the empowered demoness was revealed to have coat tails light enough to please sensitive flesh with it's slightest touch. Once her entire body passed through along with her ample bust, Althena paused in place.

The mask over her face still allowed her long, silky white hair to rest behind her, but allowed none to come before it. It was apparent she was looking around the room, as the six green eyeballs were scrambling all over the place. The room was a very large box, with a statue of a partially nude woman far in the back.

The walls on either side of it were transparent with the mask on. Nothing but blackness, and a very long fall. How would she get across this obstacle?

"Hmm..." Althena started to walk toward the statue...bringing Force Edge up in front of herself. "'_To mend the bridge you must kill the guardian_'..." Althena could see the fine text at the base of the sculpture. She had a pretty good idea what this meant...

Forcefully, she wound the weapon back, preparing to drive it through the chest of the statue--when a voice paused her.

"Lady Althena..." Urd, one of her three servants had appeared, along side her sister, Skuld. They each descended from the ceiling, landing softly on their feet behind her. "It is an incomplete ritual..."

Althena still kept the blade just half an inch from the statue's chest. "...Oh yeah? Well, what will make it complete, then?" Pulling the weapon back, the masked woman turned to her servants.

Skuld and Urd were both silent for the moment. Eventually, Skuld spoke up. "You need just an _ounce_of Sparda's life force..and the life force of a pure mortal..."

It was apparent to her that the servants had a plan. "Then go get it by any means. Keep my grandson alive..I'll need him later." With a snap of her finger, she dismissed them. Each sister gave a bow, starting to sail into the ceiling once more, vanishing from plain sight. Althena waited patiently.

(** Later...Inside the Inverted Castle **)

The Hell spawns were back. Prides, Lusts, and Vanguards. Each in which were disposed of by Dante and Lady with expertise. They knew just how to attack them after dealing with them years ago. As the last of the bodies dropped and turned to dust, Lady would catch one of her pistols as it fell into her palm, fully loaded.

"Well, that takes care of wave ten." She took a breath. She was sweating a little from her constant movement. Brushing her blouse free of sand and dust, she looked over toward her partner.

"Yep. Should be the last wave." Dante kept Angi and Rudra tightly in hand, but let them vanish back into energy. The halls ahead were very well lit by torches. "Looks like our luck's lookin up, babe. Lets go." Tossing his arms back, he'd flip up the back of his coat, starting down the hall.

Slightly fatigued, Lady follwed him. It wasn't long until the duo came to a fork in the road, however. Each path lead to very different paths...but they couldn't waste time going down the same path, now could they?

They both had stopped, looking at each pathway. They lead so far into the castle that it was hard to tell _exactly_ where they went.

"Split up?" Lady suggested to Dante, now safely positioning Kalina Ann onto her back.

Though he was iffy about Lady possibly being outnumbered and killed, he had to have faith in her. "Split up." He agreed with her. "Five minutes. After that time, come right back here. If you get in trouble, just holler." He was serious, heading down the left path.

"Pfft...I should say that to you." She played off his concern, now heading down the right path. It was only a matter of moments before they couldn't hear each others footsteps again.

Finally, some quiet. Dante's trash talk was starting to get on her nerves when there was a swarm of enemies. Lady took the time to walk and reflect on what was going on. Vergil lead them to this place, so maybe he would pop up again to lead them in the right direction? Was it really him? Was this some elaborate trick?

She got lost in the her peaceful walk, forgetting the time. Quickly checking her phone, she'd see she'd spent about four minutes just thinking. No action yet. Finally though, she reached a rounded room. Nothing was inside of it but torches, and a large lever. Thankfully, there was a platform she could sit on to rest a little bit. She was sore from fighting. Too cocky to do her warm ups before taking on this mission. She thought she wouldn't need it.

She took a seat, unhooking Kalina Ann from her back and setting it beside herself. She had about a minute to rest. No demons to kill, no pressures. She'd tinker with the lever after she finished taking her break.

Something changed though...she heard footsteps approaching. Grabbing two guns, she held them out toward the entrance way of the room...and through the darkness walked Dante himself. "..Just you..." She lowered her weapons.

"Sleepin' on the job?" Dante asked, approaching her, pretending to take more interest in the room's contents than her.

"Just taking a break. Unlike you, I actually work hard." She looked away from him, not wanting to stand for the teasing. There was something about him though...that kept her eyes coming back for more.

"Yeah...I know." He actually agreed with her? "Lets take five. Can I help you with your shoulders?" He was already approaching her. Lady drew back like a child not wanting her vegetables.

"I'm _fine_." Lying through clinched teeth, forcing herself to look away from him. Dante had climbed up onto the platform, and sat down right behind her, either leg resting beside her own. He was _too close_ for comfort. Lady was about to get up and away from him, "Hey! Back--!" The most delightful feeling came to her when he started to massage her shoulders.

Her eyes shut near her neck around, her hopeful words to make Dante cease his actions only came out as small groans of enjoyment. He was good with his hands...she could feel her pain melt away.

"Pretty tense, babe..." Even Dante's whisper was refreshing to her. She didn't want to admit she was enjoying it a little too much. Her thighs squirmed against one another a little bit. Feeling him that close against her backside wasn't making things comfortable for her, but those magic hands allowed him a free _feel_.

"It's fine I _guess_..." Another groan came forth. "..That's enough..." She reached over her shoulder, on top of his hand. Even with that being said, his hands were still loosening up her tense muscles. She couldn't bring herself to back away from it any further. What was he trying to do? Was he...going to use their seclusion to...

"_...Dante..._" The tough girl had melted away at the very thought. It wasn't exactly romantic...but who would know? No...she couldn't allow that. She was trying to reason with him, but she could hardly speak above a whisper from the delight.

"_Yeah...?"_ There was that deep voice again. It was sending shivers through her spine. She felt warmth against the crook of her neck. Small pecks of his lips...he was very daring. It only got an audible reaction from her when he nibbled on her skin so teasingly.

"..._Stop_..." She tried to tell him again, but the entire situation was overpowering her. She felt his hands leave her shoulders, rounding about under her arms and onto her chest. He was going too far now. Her cheeks were burning red her mind screaming for resistance but her body trembled at every touch.

The softest squeeze on her bust became a game of unbottoning her blouse. Her head turned toward him to try and speak, but was only met with an electrifying kiss. One button gone. The kiss was broken best she could break it.

"_...Not...here..."_ She shivered while speaking, eyes only barely opened. She felt weak...

Two buttons.

_"What...are...you...."_

Three.

"_Doing....?"_

( **Previously, the left path** )

Well, this was odd. Dante was pacing around a small, circular room himself. It was empty, save a fountain with an armless angel statue protruding from it. He approached it, giving it a quick glance over.

There was an amulet at the very center of it's chest. Three empty sections in all were on it. Two curved tear-drop shapes on either side and a circle in the center.

"Huh..." He was curious...it seemed to be able to be removed. Since the room he was in was a complete dead end, why not see if this amulet was a switch? Reaching up, Dante's fingers curled around it, yanking the pendant from the statue. Chains began to form from it, making it effective as a necklace.

"More jewelry, huh?" Disappointed, Dante started to turn around, when he'd see hear Lady enter the dead-end room. "You got a dead-end too?" He questioned her, going to one of the walls to feel around for a hidden switch."Gotta be a switch somewhere..."

"Maybe...but it probably wont be obvi--aah..!" Lady stumbled and fell to a knee. Dante rushed over almost immediately to catch her from totally collapsing. She was tired...and apparently injured. Usual stubborn Lady--not wanting to admit her limits until she was bone tired.

"C'mon, Lady. Lets take five, okay?" He remained on one knee, trying to help her to stand. That was when it happened. Dante found himself staring into her mix-matched eyes...so soft and full of emotion.

"_Dante....I love you..."_ Lady's hand came up behind his head, pulling him in toward her for a kiss. As their lips met, Dante felt electricity surge though his body... ... wait....

_Bang-bang-bang-bang!_

Ivory went off! Dante pulled back from that kiss with his eyebrows lowered, looking at the shocked expression of Lady as she came to realize she'd been shot four times.

"_D-...Dante...?!"_

"Nice try." He said sending another shot into Lady's body, forcing out an energy based body from the false shell. The body of 'Lady' vanished, and Skuld was now exposed to Dante. "You think I'd go for an easy win like that? Tch...chicks." Ebony was drawn out next, aimed at Skuld.

"...I must flee!" Skuld shouted, diving through the floor to get away from Dante's incoming hail of bullets.

"....Lady." He said, now erupting with electric energy as his Devil Trigger kicked in. Dante rushed down the halls, trying to reach her in time!

The _false_Dante was nearly down to the last button on her was completely lost, giving in to the devil's charm. She thought it was some hidden desire of her's coming out...she was unaware a charm was being used...constricting her to this state. 'Dante' had been engaging in a kiss with her...and it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Breathing deeper, Lady's eyes would ease open...to see Dante standing in the entrance way. "--_Dante?!" _She gasped out--realizing something strange was going on now.

_BANG!_

A shot straight to the skull of the false Dante forced out Urd's energy body, reducing the shell to dust. Screaming in pain, Urd collapsed against the wall behind her. Dante rushed in, leaping over his partner, Dante sent Rebellion crashing down toward Urd's torso. No dice--the being had moved aside too quickly!

As the dust lifted from the impact of the large sword, Dante jumped off toward the fleeing Urd. She turned to face him, manipulating her energy to make blades out of her arms. She successfully parried one strike, but due to her inexperience ,the next was her last move.

Dante had bounced back after the parried strike, and caught himself in mid-air. Rushing with a blur of movement right past her, holding Rebellion out to the side. Sliding the sword onto his back..he'd hear the loud cry of pain, and spluttering of blood, as both Urd's arms were lopped off from Dante's unseen swipes.

Lady looked on with wide eyes--trying to cover up.

"So...what the hell gave you the right to tongue wrestle with my friend there, huh?" He approached the screaming demon, as she fell to her knees.

"Please! Please spare me! I'll help you! I swear! I will help you!" She was at the point of tears right now. Really scared of death. Odd.

"Depends on if I'm satisfied with your answer." Rebellion came up beside Urd's neck. "...Talk."

Urd was trembling in fear, but spoke out. "Lady Althena needed us to draw energy from the two of you to help break a seal! B-But..! I will help you find her! I swear! No foul play! Just spare me, please!"

Dante saw this creature wasn't another Sid. She was really a wimp. "...Whatever." He put Rebellion back behind him. "I guess devils do cry."

"With my power...you will be able to see into the forward. The trails of this castle will be at your command..." Urd started to glow, darting right at the amulet Dante had taken. The impact made him stumble back--the energy crackled all over his body --and his Devil Trigger flashed off and on until he came to control the power, returning to his original form. Urd's foresight had been obtained...at least when it came to any _traps_.

Unknown to Dante...both Urd's arms were gone.

Lady was so embarassed...now starting to button herself back up.

"...Victoria Secret, Spring Catalog, Page seventeen, white?" He commented, starting to head toward the lever inside the room. "You got taste. Didn't expect that..." He examined the lever, starting to grasp it when Lady barked back at him.

"_SHUT UP!"_

"Oooh...fine...just leave a tie on the door or somethin' next time.." He was never going to let her live that down. Pulling the lever, in the other room, he could hear a lot of rocks shifting. Looks like they hit the jackpot.

"I was powerless! I didn't want that!" She finally had her clothes straightened, and forced any thought of lust out of her mind as quickly as she could. "Lets just go okay?!" Embarrassed, Lady stormed out of the room, letting Dante trail her.

"Hey! Don't I get a thank you kiss? You were tongin' my clone down, after all!"

"_Do you want me to kick your ass?!"_

The two continued to bicker back and forth, until they arrived in the room Dante was previously in. A new opening was made, in place of that fountain. It lead into another series of rooms...

( **Deeper down inside the castle...**)

It had been quite the wait...but finally, Skuld had returned to Althena. "...I am here, Lady Althena." Though she came with gifts..._each_of Urd's arms, surging with the energy she'd sucked from Lady's soul.

"Good." Althena said, pointing Force Edge at her servant. "Come to me so I may break this spell." Her multiple voices echoed through the cube shaped room as she commanded Skuld.

The servant began to vanish into sparkling lights, with her sister's arms. Racing toward Althena's amulet, the powerful demoness would undergo the same transformation as Dante. Flashing in and out of a triggered state, until she gained forceful control. With a powerful gust of wind that sent dust along the stone floors in every direction.

Without wasting time, she turned quickly, jabbing Force Edge through the chest of the statue. Immediately a scream echoed through the room. The room quivered violently until yet another sparkling light shot into Althena's amulet, making her struggle even mroe to gain control.

"...Shiva..., you _bitch_." Althena grunted out once the power was her's. She felt the cold energy surge through her body...she now had a good idea of how she could cross that seemingly endless blackness behind the transparent walls. "You betray me to help my dear son..." She examined her blue glowing palms..."..._No longer._" Winding her palms back, the sound of charging energy would screech through the room. Erupting forth with sheets on top of sheets of ice, rapidly generating a bridge...

"_My_ swords will be mine...once again...."

*****  
( Next Mission! )  
**Mission: #09 Pride**


	9. Mission:09 Pride

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Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. Nor do I own anything else. :)  
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**MISSION: #09  
Pride**

_It's not easy, doing what I do. A lot of us are just too scared to try to do anything else. You know, like humans do. A lot of us envy humans and wish death upon them because of their will power. They can fight to resist just about anything. They can do whatever they want to do. They can laugh, they can cry, they can love..._

_Though what a lot of us don't realize is...we can all be free if we just try. We can't just live in fear of death, when death is an inevitable part of our job._

"Crab! Wake your sorry behind up and get moving!" Hissed the much bigger Hell Vanguard, looming directly over the lone cloaked soldier. The soldier was a Pride...cloaked in tattered deep blue cloths, weilding a 'standard-issue' sickle in their hands. He was sitting, leaned against the wall, hoping to be passed up. The other Prides, Sloths, and Lusts had been moving through the coridoors at the Vanguard's command.

"What are you waiting for, crab?! A playful pat on the rear?!" With a sudden motion, the boney foot of the large creature would swipe against the pride, sending him skidding across the dusty ground.

_That's why I rebel. That's why I push it so much. I am no one's slave. Though my kinsmen may of forgotten this...I shall never. Death s my preference over slavery any day..._

Picking himself up off the ground, the Pride pulled his scythe back into his grasp. His pained, bony face examined it over in shame. Since when had a powerful jailer and warrior become a mere foot soldier in a losing effort? He fell in line. Step by step, motion by motion. It was the same old routine they had been trained for. The same routine that lost countless soldiers to the sons of Sparda and Sparda himself all those years ago.

The Pride was sick of it. His military genius was wasted on such low class work. The ones in charge of the protection of this 'castle' were all idiots. Dependant on the so-called 'higher powered demons' to take out such a strong target and a mere mortal woman. They did not know that it took brains to defeat one stronger, not powerful and lucky strikes.

Even though he had no intentions of harming the son of Sparda...he knew this plan would only get them all torn apart.

_However I must do as he says. I have to live...for __**her**__._

"Alright, ladies and gents, take five." ::The Vanguard called out, once again leading the pack. "We have our target exactly one floor above us and just within a mile of walking distance." Though his words sounded like 'shrieks' to any other ears, his soldiers understood him in clean English. "I want you all to sharpen your weapons and reflexes. I want any demon mountable, tamable, and obtainable mo-bile and le-thal. Understood?!"

"_Sir, yes sir!"_ The demons responded in a chorus.

"_Cornelius_!" The Vanguard called out to the Pride who was unlike the others. "Head off down the left," He motioned up the hall. It was a cross road that lead to many different places on this level of Althena's inverted dwelling. "Hit the special inventory and get me a fleet of Wraths. Tell them it's time to put it all on the line, soldier."

"Sir." Cornelius offered a nod of his cloaked head, proceeding to march down the long hallway to his destination. The Wraths were always a questionable bunch. They trained thousands of years just to die in battle. It was the greatest joy one could ever ask for. To release all the pain, agony, and anger upon anyone in their path.

Cornelius turned the corner, now out of sight of his fellow soldiers. Stopping once again, he would come to a sit, draping his faithful weapon over his shoulder. He felt an emotion building up in the cage of his chest. It was like every inhale he took sent sharp shards of sand sucking down his throat. He hated this--he hated this..._hiding_.

_Every day I would wait for her. Only on occasion would I be blessed by her presence. Our union could never be known by any...for it truly would be our deaths._

His waiting had paid off...as a soft light came into existence as a womanly avatar began to form through the wall. She was very bright, but as more of her figure visible, her bright glow started to dim down. With the face of a Deity, hair as thick as jungle vines, yet ever-flowing as beautiful streams...she was the most beautiful thing his eyes ever beheld.

Her presence made those sharp shards in his chest melt away, replaced by a tensing of what muscle he had left on the corpse of a body he had. His lone glowing eye could drink in her image for ages, unblinking...never shifting any direction away from her flawless form. He witnessed her hand come forth. It's dim glow attracting small particle sized glowing insects around her soft aura.

He marveled at this, as he always did. The warmth of her hand lowered his defenses unlike any strategic maneuver ever. Once her hand touched the side of his bony face..he felt flesh beginning to grow there. The flesh allowed him to feel her more...with a desire to rub his cheek into her hand. "..._Verdani..."_ He whispered, allowing his lone glowing eye to shut itself. "...You've come."

_Verdani...my lover. We'd run away together within the confines of the castle to live in our false world. A world where we could rest in the same bed. A world where we could enjoy eachother's company. A world without violence or threats to our union. I would die for her...but I cannot endure the afterlife without her presence. She is as her ability entails...__**the present**__._

"Yes..." Verdani's soft voice could inspire birds to sing. Cornelius' heart was hopeless to resist it's beauty. "My dear Timotheus..."

_My name...my true name. She was the only one allowed to speak of it. She did so...with the utmost elegance._

"How many days has it been that we have been apart...?" Verdani drew closer. Her other hand clasping against the other side of his face. Flesh starting to grow against the bone, making him gasp at the soft crackling sounds.

"Ev-...every moment away from you feels like generations, Verdani. Yet have I seen the sun...." He now regained an eye, due to her touch...though it would once again be lost whenever her hand would remove itself. His eye was a deep gray, constantly searching her soft glowing blue appearance. "...Yet am I able to count the days properly."

"Soon you will..., _soon_..." Were her final words to the tortured soul. Her face drew closer to his own. Though her eyes blended in with the rest of her glowing body, Timotheus could feel her eyes searching his face. They embraced lips, partaking in a short lived, but much anticipated sweet kiss. She pulled away softly, brushing her hand along his regrowing flesh. "...Your brother?" She posed a question she was sure he was aware of.

"Slain." He responded in a low whisper. He held back pain and anger welding up inside his being. "That cursed Vanguard destroyed him for challenging his authority..." His eyes shut in pain of the memory not many days ago. "I told him to be patient...,though he could no longer take the abuse."

_My elder brother and I were brought to duty hear thousands of years ago after Sparda defeated Lady Althena the first time, sealing away Temen-Ni-Gru. The Vanguards always treated us like filth beneath their stool. We were brilliant warriors, but forced to partake in training that would only play us as pawns. _

_The younger generations of Prides fell into this category of weaklings. We were once feared jailers and warriors in the demonic realm..._

Verdani was pained to hear this. "I am deeply sorry, my love..." She could only speak her condolences. She could not revive him from the dead. "Though the time is now upon us...the son of Sparda is being lead here...he will defeat Althena...I can feel it." She released his face, allowing the stinging process of flesh loss take place upon her lover, though she hated to see it.

Though sore and gasping lightly from the sudden loss of flesh, Timotheus had his interest roused by Verdani's words. The very utterance of 'the son of Sparda' send chills through the decaying tissue. Finally, it was time.

"So it is definitely him, then." He had his doubts, though now they were gone from him. "I know what I must do...lead him further if you must. The Vanguard is preparing a trap for the son of Sparda. One he will survive...but the woman..." Timotheus paused, looking off to the side, then back to his lover.

_I had my doubts the woman came on her own accord. What a foolish suicide I believed it to be. Though, it was the same foolish suicide Verdani and I were facing. What if, I thought, what if this woman was the son of Sparda's lover? A friend? Would my allowing her to be murdered to get closer to the son of Sparda mean I would have to allow Verdani to die to escape from this prison?_

_I could not let that happen._

"...I will prevent this." He vowed, starting to shift in his seated position, getting to his feet. "The Wraths--...I have to get them ready." The decaying feet started their motions further toward the area he was ordered to go to. "Stay away from me until this is over..I cannot have them hurt you."

"I am no weakling, Timotheus. If you are in trouble...I will help you."

_Defiant as ever. Verdani had made a choice to revolt against Althena's goals ages ago. I truly did not expect her to listen to my own orders._

"I will not require help." The prideful creature stated, now vanishing deep into the blackness of the hall to gather the squad of Wraths.

_I had a lot of time to think while rousing the troops. The plan was to take advantage of the illusion walls and floors of the castle and ambush. When the son of Sparda would land, the entire room would already be full of our men. There would be no breathing room. _

_No survival for the woman._

_The immediate capture of Sparda's offspring._

_The plan was flawless. It would of been carried out had I died long before._

( **Much Later** )

"Alright crabs! The target is expected to be here in exactly ten minutes foot time!" The leader of the pack, the Hell Vanguard called out as the entered a large square room from a long stretched hall. The Sloths in their dusty white cloths had been in position near the center of the room.

Wraths in the dozens, pacing impatiently all around, the Lusts breathing up the rear behind the number of Sloths, and the Prides in the far back. It was disgraceful...to be considered the lowest and least needed in the mission. The Vanguard took center stage, in the middle of the circle of Sloths.

The ceiling above was a safe drop distance for any being. It was an illusion, however, and if anyone from the floor above wished to progress in the castle, they would have no choice but to fall through to this floor.

"Now men and women!" The Vanguard continued on. "I want you to know that I am proud of each and every one of you. Together we claim this victory not only in the name of Lady Althena, but in the name of our kind!" The other troops--except Timotheus cheered, lifting their sickles.

"A demon mingled with human blood is a traitor to both races. Let us put him out of his misery!" The towering Vanguard once again garnered a loud response from his troops..._except_ one.

_I knew I had to prevent this attack. The cards were against me...there had to be something I could do...to at least put a dent in the numbers for the son of Sparda..._

Timotheus clutched the staff of his sickle, choking up onto it. This was insanity.

_I knew I would lose my life. Though I was willing to die for Verdani's future of freedom, and the defeat of the mighty Althena..._

The single glowing eye started to shut itself, drowning out all the cheering around him.

_Good-bye, my love._

_SLASH!_

The sickle ripped right through the torso of his fellow Pride, though it was a betrayer to their true nature. This at first didn't attract attention until the severed body hit the floor, turning to dust.

"Huh?!" Some of the creatures turned their heads, finding the dark blue clad Pride racing through them, swiping that sickly curved blade horizontally through the gathered beings. Dust and cloth began to hit the ground with each movement of that sickle, until it finally set in that this _Pride_ had lost his mind.

"Kill him!" The Vanguard directed, clutching his own glowing weapon, but not moving a single decaying muscle. The Lusts jumped into the air, coming down onto the Pride with hopeful stabs into his body. Each was a failure as he simply jumped backward to avoid further contact.

In a swift rotation, his weapon was aimed high, sliding through the mouth of one of the lanky Sloths, bringing the skull along with it. His swipe began to curve downward while he turned, allowing him to 'bowl' the skull on his sickle toward a pack of Wraths in a far corner.

Cautious, many of the Hells jumped back. Sloths teleported. Though those who could not move in time found that the Wraths had very bad balance when disrupted. The skull collided with the leg of one, and it fell--and the result took some four Wraths with it, and an incalculable amount of Hells in the explosion.

Timotheus was feeling the rush of combat that he missed. Fighting as he was trained for all those years ago. Fighting like a true warrior. "Is this all you can muster?!" He taunted his fellow Hells. He felt air explode behind him as a Sloth appeared. Her sickle held high, coming down toward him.

_CLANG!_

The sickle had ripped through the Pride's entire center, leaving him in two halves. Though the Pride severed was _not_ Timotheus!

"You assist me?!" Timotheus questioned, lifting the staff of his weapon in time to catch an incoming attack from one of the Lusts. The resulting impact made his elbows buckle.

"_If you are in trouble,_remember?!" The 'Sloth' replied, now using her teleportation ability to get behind the said Lust, and getting rid of it in a single swipe. The rest of the horde had them surrounded, jumping from one side to the other, sizing up the opposition.

"I require no assistance!" He knew it was Verdani--and now things would become difficult for him! The two had heard the reinforcements arrive--mounted on demonic creatures. Timotheus with Verdani's help was instantly relocated above some of the riders, coming down with a wide arcing slice that sent crimson fluids splattering across the ground.

The duo fought effectively...but the well protected Vanguard was not impressed. Nearly half of his force was gone--and more Wraths were being forced to fall, taking even more of his men out. He had to make a move, and make one quickly. He noticed one of the Sloths was acting as a partner...was she...a romantic interest?

What better way to slay an opponent than attack his heart? In a flutter of movement, the Vanguard was gone. The ground rippled just feet away from the swinging Scythe duo, taking down anything that got in their way. The Vanguard popped u, waving his massive weapon toward the ceiling.

Verdani had just moments ago slain another Sloth--and her head turned toward the Vanguard. Since she wore no cloth over her eyes, it was easy for the Vanguard to spot the misfit. Down came his Scythe toward her. She made an attempt to block with the pole of her weapon, but it was sliced right in half.

"Verdani--!" Timotheus shouted out, taking his eye off the ball just long enough to feel a sicle stab right though his back and out of the front. Then another right through his stomach and out of his back. "--Augh..!!"

The Vanguard took advantage of this situation, grabbing Vardani by the head and yanking her from the ground. "The shape-shifter, hm...?" A tight squeeze around her skull made the lanky illusion of the Sloth fade away into the blue energy based body of Verdani. "Now...do you know the fate of your present, shapeshifter...?" He cackled wildly until he was interrupted by the pained voice.

"_--Let her go!"_A quick swing of his scythe, and the Lust who impaled him from the front was reduced to dust. The elongated pole swatted the head of the Pride behind him, though both of their scythes tore deeper into him before slipping out. In pain, Timotheus did away with the final Pride in a single motion. He was now turning his attention to the only survivor...the Vanguard.

"Let her go?" He mused, tossing the woman's body aside, allowing it to collide with the furthermost corner of the room harshly. "There, I let her go. Now she can die with the additional pain of witnessing your death. As a sister of fate...she should know you are going to die..."

Wounded, Timotheus could not rush to Verdani's side...he was saving his energy to destroy the Vanguard. "Fate is an ever-changing road. Only when we challenge it do new paths grow..." He took a heavy step, ready to do combat.

"Noble speech. Though I'm going to have to cut you off, quite literately. Farewell, crab. Hoo-_rah_!" The Vanguard hissed, rushing in for the wounded Pride!

(** One Floor Up** )

"I mean, I have a lot of high hopes for season six," Lady said while walking along side Dante. "If the first episode is any indication, it should be the best one yet." They had been walking for so long, that conversation seemed inevitable. Lady was getting tired of lugging around her heavy weapon, however...

"Yeah, it's also the last season...so they say." Dante on the other hand was as fit as a fiddle. He was hardly tired, nor bored thanks to his long conversation with Lady. They had a lot of different tastes in things, but the back-and-forth action they had with the conversation kept it from going sour.

"You never really know with these writers. I mean, first Sayid's dead...then he's alive again at the end? That shocked me." Lady adjusted Kalina Ann at her shoulder, her eyes narrowing in frustration at it's growing weight on her tired shoulder and back.

"Shocked me too. At least we know who the monster is now...that black smoke, or whatever..." Dante would of loved to continue talking about their favored weekly television show, but he was noticing Lady's being tired. "Lets take a break, babe. I'm gettin' tired." He lied, just to make her more likely to rest.

"Alright. We can take five. This hall seems to be going on forever." She lowered her weapon, propping it against the nearest wall. Coming to sit, Lady would draw her knees up, looping her arms around them.

Dante started to lean against the wall--but suddenly came to a stop, looking back the way they came. "...Looks like we're going to have company...feels like someone just went through the door a few floors up..." Those demonic senses enhanced by Urd's power truly came in handy. He was aware of most things generally around them, and all above them.

"Then I guess our break can't last that long if we don't want to get sidetracked more." Lady grunted, pushing herself back to a stand. One of the pouches at her hip was opened, getting her flask of water. She took a quick drink, offering Dante some as well. "Let's get this over with and get out of here. Not looking forward to walking back down this way, though."

Dante took the flask and a quick drink. Passing it back to Lady, Dante stepped over to pull Kalina Ann up for Lady. "Want me to carry it for a while?" He was very thoughtful, wasn't he?

"I'll consider it. I've got a little more gas in the tank." Her hands reached for her prized belonging, which was soon handed over to her. She could make it on her own. Lady was always certain of her independance from a young age. It kept her busy, she didn't want to slack off and end up lost in the current of life.

Besides, Dante was clumbsy with her things. First thing of her's that he borrowed was her bike, and all she got back was it's scorched handlebars. That was not going to happen to Kalina Ann. She only trusted it with him _once_.

"Alright babe, if you say so." Dante couldn't argue with her there. A lifting of his shoulders was given right before he started to walk along her side again.

( **One Floor Down**)

The battle had not been pretty. Timotheus' garbs had been almost confetti from all of the strikes he had endured from the mighty Vanguard. However, this was a mutual effect. The Vanguard's garbs had very noticeable tears in his attire, though he seemed in much better fighting condition than the lone Pride.

_CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!_

Repeatedly their weapons clashed, forcing each to recoil backwards. Each one increasing the timing of the swipe. In his injured state, Timotheus knew he could not continue to parry the strikes. His only option was to quickly roll off to the side to allow the Vanguard to hit nothing but the air.

Though successful in his attempt, Timotheus still felt the stinging pain of his wounds upon contact with the floor. The momentary flinch created an opening he knew would be exploited. Trying to defend himself with his weapon, he would find the massive purple sickle snapping through it with the utmost ease. This could of been the end of the fight.

Instead of following up with a slice, the Vanguard rushed in, palming the Pride's head and taking him down roughly to the ground. Mounting the 'lesser' and wounded demon, the victorious Vanguard would hold his sickle up against the center of the demon's chest.

"You got heart, soldier. Makes me wanna see it!" He found this rather amusing, much to Timotheus' severe hatred to be toppled. "Warfare is all about inflicting the highest level of pain on one's opponent. Especially traitors to one's own cause..."

That cackling demon's voice was like glass pouring into his ears. He wanted nothing more than to gather the saliva to spit in his face.

"You son, are a traitor. Two thousand years of service for this? A woman? Son I served with your father and I must say, he would be dis-a-pointed. He was one of my best men..." His attention shifted to the still shaken up Verdani, starting to push up on her hands. Truly a weakling. "So, she's awake. Just in time for the pain. Now, sister of _fate_...why don't you inform your little boyfriend here of his fate before I inflict it?"

_Such a cruel thing to learn fate. It makes you feel...powerless. I was born a warrior. Wars and battles always had an unknown outcome...which made each of us fight that much harder. Victory is never certain...but when the fate is known to be grim...it makes the fighting lack effort. You are destined to die._

_I awaited Verdani's words...I embraced death. I wanted to die for showing her such weakness._

Verdani looked to the floor. She couldn't stop this fight--she was not truly a trained warrior. Her fingers curled up against the stone. She didn't want to speak a word. In fear that her reading Timotheus' fate would be the end of him.

"Speak of his fate or you'll be the first one to die, little lady! You've got ten seconds! Nine! Eight!" The Vanguard hissed out, pressing the tip of that curved weapon into Timotheus further, making him groan in pain, clutching both halfs of his weapon still.

_I had failed her...this was how I would go._

"Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three!"

_Farewell...my love._

"_Two! _**One**!"

"Alright!" Verdani spoke up, quickly moving her face upward to look at the monsterous beast. "Timotheus...forgive me...I must...read your fate." She turned her attention down to the ground, having white steam starting to form over her glowing shape. "In this battle...it is...your fate to..."

The Vanguard nodded his head, glaring down at Timotheus, letting him feel the burn of that purple weapon against his chest. He could hear the footsteps above getting closer...was the son of Sparda early?! He had to do away with this quickly!

"Your fate is to live!" She looked up, and as expected, this caused the Vanguard to turn his attention toward her in shock. However, as he would do so, the Pride's severed staff came upward, it's now sharpened point jabbing into the glowing eye of the General.

"_Graaaah_!!" He screamed out, stumbling back away from the Pride.

Timotheus, with the sickle half of his weapon in his right hand started to stand slowly, stalking his former commander. With a wind of his hand, he tossed the bladed weapon, letting it spin and cut through the whisps of floating dust. It made a final rotation, before the entire blade found a home in the Vanguard's only soft spot.

"--Haugh--!?" The Vanguard was completely frozen. He couldn't speak or move. There was only the sound of bones bending while he started to fall backwards...exploding into several pieces.

Though the battle was won, Timotheus fell against the nearest wall, using one hand to support himself.

"_Timotheus_!" Verdani was quick to run to his side to help support him. He at first seemed to resist the assistance, but allowed her to hold him up. "You're hurt!...Oh I am so sorry for getting involved..." Her hands touched him at his forearm, as well as the wounds in his body. The deep gashes started to heal as flesh began to grow there. The steam from her body had all but vanished now.

"I...will be fine.." Timotheus stated--though they were interrupted by the sudden dropping in of the son of Sparda himself.

"Whoa~!" He called out, landing in a crouch on the ground. Pulling Ebony out immediately, Dante would point it toward Verdani and Timotheus. Normally, he would of shot first, but something told him to stop inside. They did not seem hostile. "...Coast is clear, Lady." He called up toward her. "Just really dusty..." He had been standing in the remains of several of the Hells, afterall.

Next, Lady would drop down through the illusionary ceiling, and land carefully in a crouch right next to Dante. "Augh--demons..!" Her sub-machine gun was lifted up immediately. However, it was lowered by Dante's hand. "Wh-what are you doing...?"

"We're interruptin' a tender moment...let's get going." He had already started to walk toward the only path they had presented toward them. Soon, Lady was in tow.

"However..." Dante paused near the opening of the entrance, having seen a Vanguard's remains scattered about. "...Just curious as to what happened here..."

Timotheus eased his lover away from him...coming to stand on his own two feet. "..I will share the story, son of Sparda...if you will allow me the time..."

Lady wasn't sure about this--she had never heard one of these _things_ speak before. "...Just make it fast. We're kind of in a hurry."

"Very well..."

(** Seven minutes later** )

"And that is where you came in..." The prideful warrior completed his story, only offering a small motion of his head.

"...So, you're a rebel too, huh? I like that." Dante had to admit...he never knew a Pride could wreck shop quite like this. Clearly he had learned a lesson in underestimation. "...So..._Verdani_ here is a Sister of Fate? I already got one of you helpin' me...she represents the future, right?"

Verdani had sat on her knees, clasping her hands in her lap. "My younger sister Urd is the Eye of the Future. She is young...her sight is still limited." A small shake of her braided head was given. "I am the Eye of the Present. I see what is immediately going on...within a certain span of time. Some longer than others."

"Interesting," Lady chimed in. "So, can you tell me if this loser is going to pay me after this is all over?"

The question struck Verdani curiously. She wasn't positive if this would be a success or not--facing Althena. "I..cannot see. It is quite blury. Though I hope I have not lured you here in vain."

"In other words, he won't." Frustrated, Lady shot a glare toward Dante. She was ready to go--but the glowing woman mentioned 'luring'. The trigger happy woman threatened to pull one of her pistols with a motion of her hand. "What do you mean _lured_ us here?"

Dante was wondering the same...but since Lady wanted to speak for them both, he didn't interject.

"...I posed as the other son of Sparda. I knew you would need help finding things...I knew you would of never confronted Althena until it was far too late...I knew...you were looking for him, Dante..."

Dante had expected it all to be a wild goose chase. Now he had his confirmation. Vergil wasn't there. This was an extreme let down for Dante. It almost made him want to discontinue this venture. Though...he had an idea to make use of Verdani's powers. "...Before we go stop Althena..." He gave a pause, motioning for Lady to relax. "Can you tell me if Vergil is alive right now?"

Verdani looked toward Timotheus, then to the ground. Focusing her energy, that same steam would come to rise from her perfect shape. She took a deep inhale of these vapors, allowing her mind's eye to see into the present world of every kind. It took her several seconds...but finally she spoke. "He is...not dead."

That was all Dante needed to hear.

Lady was shocked--Vergil of all demons was still alive? That wasn't exactly good if he was still the same.

Dante had started down that hallway, and once more Lady would be in tow behind him. They had a job to do before Dante began his search for Vergil.

"Wait!" Vedani spoke out, now standing at her now silent lover's side. "...You can save your friend, Dante. She can still be saved. I can help you...." She looked over to Timotheus..."In exchange for you sparing us...and allowing us re-entry into the demon world to find ...or belonging."

Dante stopped dead in his tracks. Frustrated with the constant stopping, Lady continued to walk. Dante pondered for a few moments, then began to turn around to face them. "You got it. Just don't make me regret this..."

"Take care of her, son of Sparda...I shall await your safe return..." Timotheus had trusted him with his lover's life. He would be held accountable if she did not return. His single eye met her own set...he wanted to kiss her badly, but he could tell she was not going to. It would be something for them both to live for.

_Farewell, my love_.

Verdani turned her face away from Timotheus, and began to glow bright enough to make the entire room devoid of all color. Once the display of blinding light had ended, Verdani had become a small ball of energy. Racing toward Dante, she would impact that amulet Dante had collected from the castle.

The force made him stumble backward, but he gained his balance. The surge of energy made his Devil Trigger flicker on and off rapidly...though he began to gain control with great force. There was another explosion of light...both Dante's hands went forward, grasping onto.._something_.

When his vision returned...what he would be gripping had been the handlebars of one of the biggest and slickest motorcycles he had ever laid eyes on. "....Now this is what I'm talkin' about..." Dante grinned, looking over toward Timotheus. "Promise to bring her back in one piece, Tim. You just sit tight..." Mounting the bike, Dante popped the front up in a wheelie, and proceeded to rip down the hall.

He passed up Lady--and the roar of the bike had almost made her jump out of her skin! Swerving around, Dante would park the devilish bike just meters away from her, after leaving quite the driftmark on the ground. "Hop on, babe! Let's ride!" He grinned, removing Rebellion from his back, and sticking it into a compartment on the side of the bike.

"...Nice wheels." Lady commented, approaching him in glee. Mounting the back of the bike, her arms would come around his waist for safety. "I was getting tired of walking anyway...we should be almost there, right?"

"Yep..." Dante let the bike let out it's loud roar. "Althena ain't gonna be far away now. _Woo!"_ The bike roared to life, and into the long hall they rode.

Back in the square room..., Timotheus had walked through the remains of his former kinsmen...stopping in front of the massive purple scythe on the ground. Reaching for it, the healing demon would use all of his strength to pull it up and over his shoulder.

"...And so a new chapter begins..."

*****  
( Next Mission! )  
**Mission: #10 I Wish You Were Dead**


	10. Mission:10 I Wish You Were Dead

********************  
Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. Nor do I own anything else. :)**

**Only two more chapters left!**

**Sorry for the delay in updates!  
************************

**MISSION: #10  
I Wish You Were Dead**

The final footsteps were taken across the frozen bridge, leading Althena to a large rounded room. In the very center lay a pond full of Lilies.. In the center of the pond stood two long katanas, buried to the middle of their blades into the calm blue water. They stood side by side as identical monuments. Though there was something very different about these swords.

The floating Lilies around one blade were all in pieces. Slice and diced by merely _touching_the blade's surface. About the other, the Lilies only floated around it, seeming to be kept at bay by a barrier. On the other side of the round room there had been a long hall that vanished down into the darkness, well beyond Althena's sight. If she truly wanted, she could go _find_ Dante herself and get her job done.

Though that would be far too easy.

Into the water she went, slow step by step. The Lillies parted as her legs walked through the water. "Masamune. Muramasa. My dear sweet blades." She mused about her blades for a moment, stopping herself from progressing deeper into the water and toward the weapons. The first blade she wrapped her palm around had been Masamune. Feeling a great amount of energy return to her, she yanked the weapon upward. The first seal had been opened.

As a result, several guardian Vanguards appeared right above the water, prepared for combat. Althena's hand wrapped around Muramasa next-- _'Blood. Give me blood!'_The blade was heard yelling as her forearm yanked up, ripping the blade from the water. The mask at her face came to glow as the power surged through each arm forming a black aura around her body, threatening to send her into a Devilish state. Whipping around once, Muramasa would slice clean through the Vanguards --drawing their red blood right into the blade like a magnet.

_"Yes...more blood...!"_The awakened blade demanded. Althena oblidged as the second wave of Vanguards appeared. Each of them surrounded her, sending their massive sickles down toward her body. Stabbing Masamune into the ground, a white barrier surrounded her body, giving her a meter of protection on all sides, bouncing the attackers off. As they stumbled back, Althena yanked Masamune from the water and swiped it through the air once, sending a long sickle of energy right through one of those Vanguards. Cut in half, it toppled over. It's weapon lopped off several of its own allies heads!

To the others she pivoted, dashing ahead of herself--and in the blink of an eye, was out of the water and on the path of ice in which she came. "_Hmp_." Scoffing, Althena began to form sheathes at her sidee--generating them from her own power to hold the long Katanas. Once sheathed fully, the clicks of the hilts would cause the Vanguards to explode into six pieces and into the water.

"You still have the talent, Lady Althena." Called a voice of her last remaining spiritual advisor--Skuld.

"Naturally." She gave a flick of her long white hair, starting to strut right pass Skuld. "My grandson will be arriving soon." She continued on after a brief pause. "Keep him busy while I prepare a gate. Kill the girl if you want. Earth above and Hell below await me."

Skuld gave a nod of her head. Her glowing body being cloaked in a gown of long hair that reached her ankles and wrapped around her curvy figure. "I swear on thy life this duty will be fulfilled."

Skuld did not gain a direct response, as Althena continued to cross her bridge.

( **Elsewhere** )

The motorcycle had still been ripping across the stone path, flashing it's headlights through the darkness ahead of it. Not much was said between Dante and Lady, mostly due to the loud sound of the motorcycle beneath them. They were rapidly closing in on a large circular room--the same one Althena had just left. Slowing the bike down, Dante stared ahead of himself, across the circular pool to the glowing Sister of Fate-- Skuld.

"Looks like we got ourselves a roadblock. _Shit_. I was enjoyin' this quality time--Gah!" Dante had been cut off by the blunt end of a pistol hitting him behind his head. Lady was getting tired of Dante's mouth.

"Shut up!" She commanded, hopping off of the motorcycle. She knew danger when it was close, and she was already geared up to fight. After what the first Fate did to her, it was payback time. "Do you want a piece of us? If you do or not, you're getting out of the way _demon_!"

Skuld just laughed in Lady's direction. Holding her right hand out, she would form a broadsword made up of her own spiritual essence. The bright blue weapon was held before herself, hovering over the pool that separated her from Lady and Dante.

"Well if it's gonna be a chick fight..., I might as well sit back and watch." Dante didn't budge from the cycle. He gave an 'shoo' motion with his hand toward Lady, insisting she take this fight alone. "Have at it, babe."

Muttering, she cut her eyes toward Dante, pulling Kalina Ann before herself, and aiming it across that pool. There was a moment of waiting between the women. Lady was waiting to see what her first move would be, while Skuld was plotting. Before Lady could exhale a breath the distance of the pool of Lilies had been cleared. Skuld came toward Lady with a downward slash that ended up meeting the tough metal of Kalina Ann, as Lady blocked it.

_CLANG!_

The larger woman applied pressure to the bazooka, leaning Lady backward. She was outmatched in physical strength, the had to give her that. However, was she outmatched in wit? Lady sent a kick up into the stomach of Skuld. The kick threw off Skuld's appliance of force for a small window of time. This of course was taken advantage of as soon as it was opened. Lady swept her leg forward, _tripping _Skuld onto her back!

The Fate dropped her weapon on impact, and started to reach for it!

Lady lifted Kalina Ann toward the ceiling and brought her down blade first toward the torso of Skuld.

Realizing the danger, Skuld's hands came up, grabbing the large mouth of the canon, trying to push Lady off of her body. Lady kept pushing and pushing, only to gain almost no ground. Yanking Kalina Ann up with Skuld's momentum, she swung it aside, then back down into Skuld's torso! The blood splatter was more than satisfying for the slayer herself, but she wasn't done. She took a hold of the trigger to prepare and fire!

Skuld--as a last ditch effort pulled Kalina Ann out of her torso quickly, using her strength to toss The bazooka aside while Lady was grasping it. The woman went flying toward the rounded wall and hit spine first. Landing on her side. Lady looked up while Skuld started to stand, holding her wound.

Lady played possum, remaining in her downed position as Skuld grabbed her sword. The Fate charged Lady, springing high into the air with the blade wound back with intentions to kill the woman. Though Lady had the weapon advantage here! The blade of Kalina Ann shot up, stabbing into the collar area of Skuld, yanking her down against the mouth of the weapon. Skuld's face was in perfect position over Kalina Ann...and before she could start to struggle.

"_Nice try __**bitch**__._" Lady grunted, pulling the trigger to let the missile rip forward, exploding against Skuld's face, sending her up against the ceiling with the explosion and then collapsing down on the floor not too far away from Lady. She was still alive though!

Making her way to her feet, Lady would be stopped by Dante's outstretched arm. "Fight's over. What use is a Sister of Fate dead? Then again...we could always find out." He lowered his arm, opening his coat up so that Skuld could see Dante's pistols at his side.

Frightened, the Fate scurried backward on the floor. "Please! Spare me! I am but a lowly servant! I will help you! Please..!" The creature's plea was honest. Dante could tell by the fact she was now starting to shake in fear of embracing death.

He lowered Kalina Ann's front when Lady got to her feet fully. "Dante--" She began to protest, though he had already started to amble forward.

"Help us huh? How're you gonna do that?"

Glowing features looked toward the ground then back up to Dante. "I can reveal things of the past. Things that will uncover the secrets of your history. Things about Lady Althena...,things that could return your friend Nevan to you...!" She was trying to find something that got a response out of Dante. The mention of Nevan seemed to do it.

"Alright. You've got my attention. So lets start talkin'." Dante paced a little more, trying to play off his excitement for there being a way to get Nevan back. Lady on the other hand remained silent and observant. If this thing tried anything funny, it was going to die.

"Take my strength. I will show you all you need to know." Skuld began to glow brightly. Instantaniously had her figure shrunk into a glowing orb--shooting right for that amulet Dante had on his person.

He stumbled back on impact. His body flickered off and on into Devil Trigger...but he could not overpower this one. He remained in his trigger as he fell to one knee. Reverting back to normal, Dante collapsed onto his side. Was he...dead?

"Dante? _Dante!_" Lady ran right over to him, but Dante's vision was blurring out into blackness.

Silence.

( **Visions of the past** )

The sound of a small boy crying could be heard as he crouched over the body of a human boy. The body had been bled out and left at peace. The small white haired boy continued to cry over him, even as footsteps approached him from behind.

"Sparda, my dear Sparda. He was only a human. Surely you didn't think he was a friend?" The blade of Althena once again pierced through the heart of the dead victim, making Sparda's eyes shoot open.

The young child turned, and starting landing weak pounds on his mother's leg, crying hysterically while he made no ground. With a quick motion, Althena swiped her son across the chest to send him sailing away from her. This wasn't the Althena of present day--no. This was her full-on insect-like true form. A true devil.

"You can stop parading around like you are human. They know you are masked." Althena spoke coldly, sheathing her weapon as her child hit the ground. "We are meant to outlive humans. Their pathetic existiance is on a clock. You choose to befriend them? Ha...twice the fool your father was."

Sparda was so choked up on his words that he couldn't even scream from the pain his slowly regenerating wound caused him. "I..I hate you..!" He shouted out eventually. "I wish you were dead! You're horrible! He didn't deserve this! Dante was my friend!"

Althena began to chuckle. Her chuckle rapidly evolved into a bellowing laugh. "I will not have my royal blood associating with common humans." She ignored her son's hateful words of her existance. They were hollow words to her.

"You will pay for this, mother!" The child balled his fists up as soon as he was on his feet. Foolishly he rushed toward her screaming at the top of his lungs. There was a sudden sound of flesh ripping, and a sharp _**SHINK**_ sound as the vision went black.

Silence.

Years later, Althena, having stolen Eva's mother's body and returned it to it's youth, was seen hitting the floor within her thone room of the castle. Panting, she would go to all fours, having each of her blades driven through her torso. Spitting out blood, she panted, looking up through her curtain of white hair.

Sparda, scratched and wounded all over stepped forward. His massive blade held tightly in hand. "Your breeding of my power ends here, mother. Even in this drained state...I can still finish you and end your use of Chaos!" He bellowed, pointing his left index finger her way dramatically.

"Your powers stopped Mundus and countless demons! Even in my defeat I know that my precious Temen-Ni-Gru stands no chance!" She spat up once more, breathing deeply between her teeth. "Why is it so wrong for me to use this power I birthed to conquer hell it'self?! You have ruled this Earth as it's savior from your own kind! Why must I be damned to do the same in Hell!?"

"Hell is where pride and envy are bred. Here on Earth, justice is what keeps it from becoming like Hell!" Sparda stepped forward, preparing to end this battle. "I fight for this world. I fight for Eva and my children! You fight for your own pride and gain!"

"Why Eva?! Why a human?!" Althena screamed back up at Sparda. "You would torture yourself in such a way?! This human woman will crush your spirit, Sparda! You will outlive her by a thousand lifetimes! You will outlive your children! You will suffer through seeing them die before your very eyes!" She finally flipped her hair from her face, unable to move beyond her s tate on the floor. "Do not let this woman fool you into becoming mortal!"

"If that is something I must suffer, then so be it. I would rather spend my life with them to see it come to an end, than throw it all away. If I must become mortal to rid this Earth of this cursed power, than I will! Nothing you say will sway me from sealing you away, mother!"

Althena's blood was boiling. Her fist struck into the stone finish of the ground. "...I wish...you were dead! Why did I allow you to grow?! You are as foolish as your father--as every man who has ever come into my sight! I should have known...I should not have allowed this weak portion of my being to grow in you! Kill me! Kill me so that I may not have to live through this union of my son and a disgusting witch!"

Sparda lifted his weapon...but paused. He intended to seal her...so he would. Killing her would be less of a torture. He reached forward, ripping Masamune and Muramasa out of her torso. He tossed them aside for the time being. He propped his mother up on her throne, and left her there in her most vulnerable state.

"You will be sealed here for the rest of your days. Good-bye, mother." Sparda said, collecting the twin blades again as he came to exit from the throne room. The vision once again...went black.

Many images flooded Dante's mind. Too many for him to make sense of.

He could see rows upon rows of men and women in hell. All glowing an eerie blue over their bodies. They were manufactured half-demons it seemed. They were powerful. Dante could see them sending rays of energy into other demons, ripping them from the inside out. Some of these manufactured demons even grew as large as buildings.

He could see the Sisters of Fate overlooking the creation of these beings, zapping in absorbed power into them.

What was this?

Finally...he would awaken.

( **The Present** )

"_To get something, you must sacrifice something..."_ Dante muttered out softly.

The words made Lady's head lift from their place on her own knees. She had sat against the wall and held them against herself while waiting for Dante to wake up. She was relieved. He was breathing when she checked him--she knew it was just a matter of being aware of her surroundings and protecting him until he woke up.

"Augh..." It felt like he had a really bad headache upon waking. Palming his forehead, Dante sat up. "...What happened? How long was I out?" He turned his eyes toward Lady. She was in a state where she was collected and calm. This could be upset easily by a few words from Dante, but he wasn't going to kill away his friend privileges when he felt like he was going to need them very soon.

"..About an hour." Lady got up, starting to step toward Dante. Her hand came out, assisting her friend to his feet. "What happened to you?" She was hoping he didn't just pass out to nap. The lazy bum that he was--she wouldn't be surprised.

"Weird dreams about my dad. I don't know for sure...but I think Althena...is my grandmother..." Dante looked toward the pool, then to their next destination. The next hallway seemed to be...an ice bridge. "My dad took two swords from her...we better keep movin' til we find 'em."

Lady gave a nod to Dante. He had another family member to fight? She offered her support with a touch on his shoulder. "We better hurry. Whoever came in after us might steal the fun." She passed him, collecting her weapon on her way to the bike.

"Heh...tough shit then. This party's for two." Dante followed after Lady, hopping onto the bike, getting ready to roll.

*****  
( Next Mission! )

Two more Missions remain!  
**Mission: #11 Devil's Roulette**


	11. Mission:11 Devil's Roulette

********************  
Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. Nor do I own anything else. :)**

**Only one more chapter left!**

**Sorry for the delay in updates! Enjoy!  
************************

**MISSION: #11  
Devil's Roulette**

The chambers had been filled with nothing but silence. Althena had dismissed her mask, and was now going to fulfil her mission. This entire time she had been collecting souls with the help of Chaos. Collecting souls to recharge her former power that had left her at her defeat. The power that would allow her to drag her slumbering army from Hell and march them right to the many lords of Hell itself.

She wanted to destroy them all. To conquer the land of eternal torment, and unite their masses to flood and invade the Earth as they had so many ages ago. Divided had they been in the times of her son, and divided had they fallen.

Her ritualistic movements were creating ripples in the wind around her. Masamune peacefully flowing through the air while Muramasa violently sliced around her. She was forced to cut her own hand before drawing that blade out. Staining it's handle with the blood it so craved.

The air thickened. It crackled with electricity where ever the blades touched. She could feel things shifting--she could feel her private gateway to hell answering her call. Though her power was not yet complete. She needed a little _more_. She had sent the Fates to their doom. She no longer would need to worry about them getting cold feet when the time actually came. With their predictions of her making a dire mistake.

When they came under her servitude it was because they feared death as much as she. Though the difference was she could bring it upon them fairly easily even with their combined might.

Althena's motions stopped when she heard the roar of a motorcycle. It wasn't too close...but it was finding its way through the hidden halls around Sparda's seal. Were the sisters...aiding Dante's sight as Trismagia helped her own? What hunter would spare the lives of devils? She _clearly_ underestimated his ways.

Once the motorcycle ripped through the final hall, passing by the carvings of the Seven Hells, she would be faced with the bright lights of the motorcycle.

_Vroom!_

The bike jumped over the small stairway and pivoted in mid jump. Once landed, the bike would skid across the floor on the sides of it's wheels, while Dante's foot on the lower tilting side of the bike would drag on the floor until it came to a complete stop. His eyes glared over to Althena--the woman he had seen in those visions with his father. His..._grandmother_.

Lady climbed off of the bike first, quick to draw Kalina Ann and point it directly toward Althena across the large room. Dante followed suit, though was slow to draw Ebony and Ivory from their holsters. "Well...it looks like there's no need for discussion now is there?" Each gun was drawn. He crossed his wrists over one another, pointing the guns toward her on their sides. "Let's just get it over with, _Althy_."

Althena paced around a little...first sheathing Muramasa back at her hip. "Right to business. Typical of my son, so typical of my grandson. Are you sure you don't want me to read you a bedtime story before I tuck your little friend in?"

"Can it, _bitch_." Mary spoke up, doing her best to hold off her itchy trigger finger until she knew it was the right time to shoot. "I don't care _who_ you are. Bottom line? You're just another soulless demon who needs her ass kicked!" She lifted Kalina Ann, preparing to fire--but was stopped by Dante's outstretched arm--holding Ebony.

"What do you want, Althena?" Dante spoke out as his arm was pushed aside by Lady out of frustration. He didn't even look at her--but she did not look too happy at all.

"I need your soul power, Dante. Once I have enough of that, then I'll be able to go about my business." A quick twirl around of her weapon was given. "So lets dance. I'm getting tired of wasting time!" This proved true as she began to crackle with energy.

"Simpe and to the point. Typical of a bitch." His eyes narrowed upon her. He could feel this was going to be a challenge--though the closing in energy from a few floors up was making him nervous. Was it going to be a pincher attack between Althena and another servant? His senses granted to him were clouded in Althena's presence.

The woman took locomotive worthy steps forward. The gap between them was shut near instantly with that long blade of Masamune ripping through the air and to Dante's now firing pistols. The guns left his grasp, going skyward--not to mention his hands splatted with blood all over the blade.

As those firearms went up, Lady's own went _off_. Kalina Ann fired right into Althena's side! The Missle was avoided--just **barely **while the woman went on the move toward Lady. Reaching in the front of her skirt, Lady tossed Dante one of her guns, leaning backwards to avoid a high arcing slice from Althena's blade. The weapon clipped loosed strands of her hair. Lady stumbled back to try and keep distance.

While Dante caught Lady's pistol, he would witness Althena rotate around with a wide reaching cyclone slice. Dante would once again get cut across the hand and forearm, forcing him to toss Lady's gun aside, and against a wall! Lady on the other hand let out a loud scream as she was sliced across her chest with a spray of vitality. Stumbling back into a wall, the wounded huntress went wide eyed seeing that blade homing in on her skull.

A quick motion to the side, and the blade would break through the stone behind Mary. She ducked down when Althena pulled back and ripped through the stone with a slice. By this time, Dante had caught the falling Ebony and Ivory, beginning to tuck them into his coat and rip forward Rebellion.

"Chew on this!" Lady shouted out, yanking a grenade from her belt, rolling aside from Althena. The demoness rushed Lady, only to feel a metal object drive between her cleavage. _**A grenade**_.

"--What--?" Althena actually had to look down and take her eyes off the girl. This was long enough for Dante to jump in and send his boot right into Althena's forehead. She stumbled back several meters before that little bomb actually exploded. To protect Mary from the inevitable debris from the bomb, Dante swung his coat around her, kneeling down to allow any stray pieces of shrapnel to rip into his back.

Once the explosion ended, Dante stood up--lucky no shards of metal went their way.

"....She's not dead yet." Mary already knew. She used Dante's shoulder as support, getting back to her feet. The blood stained her white blouse, but she would never stop until she was dead.

"If it were that easy, I'd be kinda pissed, babe..." Dante held Rebellion downward, letting it's sharp tip to touch the stone flooring.

The dust settled, and Althena stood with almost no signs of damage on her body. They would see the last of her ruined flesh about her chest healing up. Amazingly, her clothing had _regenerated_ itself..being one with her perfect body. "It's not good to have breast envy, my dear." She chuckled. "...Come on."

Lady had her chance--now Dante was taking his. His combat boots beat the pavement racing to Althena. In came his blade from above, and out came her own. She met Dante's blade and struggled against him with a smile on her face. A smile that matched his own. They _enjoyed_ the challenge of someone equal to them. Once their clash ended, Dante hopped back and pressed forth once more.

Their endless swings of their blades were causing sparks to fly. The occasional drop of blood would hit the ground when Althena got lucky enough to get through Dante's defenses. A loud tearing sound was heard however when Dante ripped Rebellion along side of her face.

"--_Aaah!"_

Althena's defenses were open. A rip across her chest, a rip horizontally across her abdomen. He prepared to stab through her body, when a bubble of energy formed around her, rejecting Dante the chance. The bubble pulsed, sending the young man sailing outward to the corners of the room.

"Gah..!...Shit..." He grunted, starting to make his way back to his knees. He drew forth Ebony and started to fire.

This was Lady's chance. She started to fire as well--though that bubble once again formed around her body. She squeezed the grip on Masamune--and a _trigger_ dropped down from the handle. Breaking that bubble, she moved her blade at propeller speeds, slicing into those incoming shots, and returning them with shots of her own toward Dante each time she turned to face him! The powerful bullets were enough to stun Dante for a moment, breaking out of his **back** and splattering into the walls.

Now it was Lady's turn. The now titled _chest-envied_girl was approached with a haste. Lady tried to defend herself, but Althena's speed allowed her little chance. Each slice would of seemed fatal. Lady shut her eyes as actual fear overcame her heart. Though once the howling of wind stopped, she opened her eyes. She was still alive, and Althena was still there. Only this time all of Lady's weapons were on the floor.

Each handgun and Kalina Ann were at her feet. The strap to Kalina was broke, allowing the heavy weapon to clank on the floor. Althena just giggled in delight at this.

"...That's funny to you?!" That fear transformed into the rage that had burned in her chest for years. Mary slung her fist, punching Althena square in the face. Althena's head rocked backward, leaving her torso wide open for assault. Lady sent another punch right into her stomach to double the devil woman over. Surprisingly, this was all landing.

The woman's brutality came into play as she grabbed Althena by the hair. The devil was trying to regain her composure--but her moment of taunting was haunting her now! Lady used all her strength to smash Althena's head into the pavement. She actually dropped Masamune as a result! Lady began repeatedly smashing the demon's head into the ground, staining the stone with her violent act.

"_Don't! Ever! Piss! Me! Off!"_Lady said between slams of the devil woman's head. Releasing her long ivory hair, Mary stood. Up came a boot, stomping the back of Althena's head to keep her grounded in place. She walked over her, while she was trying to stand.

Althena reached for Masamune. Lady pulled her combat knife from her boot.

**_SHINK_.**

"_Aaauugh!!"_

Althena's forearm was pinned to the stone flooring. Lady pulled up the Masamune...examining it in marvel for a second. Though she came to her senses, turning and sending the blade down toward Althena's spine! A blue light overtook the weapon--refusing to bypass its master's flesh.

Lady struggled, and finally yanked back and sent all of her weight downward to **force**the blade to stab into Althena! There was a bright flashing of lights, as Althena's energy was released outward. She screamed as she lost energy by the second. Lady kept a firm grip on the weapon, but the demoness managed to yank her arm from the ground.

Her body crackled--fading in and out of Devil Trigger until she finally used a pulse of energy to throw Lady off of her body. Dante was just now coming to--able to get to his feet once more. He was impressed by Lady's actions. So she _could_ fight without her guns!

Rebellion was drawn up as he rushed to Lady's side after she landed on her backend meters away from Althena. "Got a lotta aggression, don'tcha babe? Kinda hot."

"_Shut up!"_ This wasn't the time or place for Dante to tease her! He would get beat up on too!

Althena pushed herself from the floor. Barely regenerating after the assault placed upon her. She flickered in and out of her hideous, insect-like devil form rapidly. Her energy forcing her blade to slide through her abdomen and back out of the front of her. Grabbing the bloody handle--a pulse of blue energy would dispel the blood from it.

Black tendrils would rip out of the ground, beneath the feet of each of her foes. Binding them in place...much like an opponent not too long ago. The two struggled--though they knew it was no use.

"...How about a little..._**Devil's Roulette?**_" She was now in control. _**Muramasa**_ was now drawn. The blade that had an intense lust for **blood**. "...This is the Muramasa. A demon crafted blade that...once drawn...**must**draw blood or never return to it's casing. The bloodlust is so power that weaker weilders would be driven to suicide to fulfil the lust..."

She examined the blade, tossing it upward toward the ceiling. The blade began to rotate and cop through the air. Hovering before deciding who to drive itself through. "Who will it be, Dante? You? The human woman--?"

"_Bite me!" _Lady barked back.

"Perhaps it will even be me? Let's place our bets..." Althena was all too confident on this outcome.

Dante started to reach for his own guns--but tendrils ripped out from the ground to restrain his forearms. _Damnit_! The propeller above was making him begin to sweat. He could feel that energy now rapidly drawing closer. If the blade drove through him, Althena would have what she wanted. Then this energy would show up and kill Lady. If it killed Lady, then Dante would have to figh both alone. If it went through Althena, then they would have to deal with whoever was arriving.

He looked to Althena, the blade, Lady, then the doorway. There was a higher chance of survival for him than there was for Lady. "...I bet myself. Go ahead. Take what you want." He had the worst luck in bets. He hoped Lady Luck was on his side here.

"Dante..!" Lady was more than willing to sacrifice herself here. She knew she probably could not do this alone.

"Hmmn...bid accepted..." Althena's tongue came out to lick her lips. Her facial wounds finally sealing up. The bade began to slow down. It was seconds away from stopping and pointing toward a target. "That's two bids on Dante..."

"What?! You bitch!" Lady struggled against her captors. "I wasn't betting!"

"Too late..."

The blade finally slowed down. Lady's heart was racing. Who would it land on? She looked to Dante, horror filling her eyes. A horror that soon turned into bravery. She narrowed those opposing eyes and looked upward. she had her fingers crossed that this would come back and bite Althena in the ass.

The blade stopped.....

.....on......

**_BANG!_**

A gunshot ripped upward, smacking into the handle of the blade just as it was about to stop on **Lady**. The blade did a complete one-eighty, and turned to face Althena.

"What the--!?" The demoness shouted out moments before Muramasa shot downward, stabbing through her abdomen and pinning her to the ground! The blade began to suck her blood right into it. Slowing down her healing process.

Dante turned toward the doorway. It wasn't he who fired the shot.

Lady turned her eyes towad the doorway as well.

Althena clinched her teeth...blood gurgling from her mouth as she looked at the one who foiled her plan. "_**---!**_" Althena could not believe her eyes at who was behind that smoking barrel. "...E....Eva?!"

The black handgun, **Luce** was still smoking. The leather clad replica of Dante's mother, **Trish**only grinned toward the demoness. "Got that right..." She decided to play along. Knowing good and well of Althena's hatred for _Eva_. "You should of waited up for me, Dante. Then again, someone had to save your ass."

Dante actually chuckled. The tendrils wrapping around he and Mary were broken as soon as Althena realized the pain of her blade.

"Perfect timin' as usual..." Dante loosened his wrists up, turning to check on the confused looking Mary.

"Eva?! What the hell are--" Lady knew her damn name was Trish!

"That's my name, you deaf honey?"

Their conversations were cut short at the sight of Althena getting to her feet. The** Trismagia **mask had returned to her, giving her a jolt of energy about twice as powerful as her base form. Muramasa was ripped from her torso, and Masamune was once again drawn. There was no warning--no time to brace themselves.

Althena moved faster than even the human retina could register. She drove Muramasa through Dante's heart! The resulting blood was drained right into the blade. Trish and Lady made an attempt to stop Althena--but were met with the powerful pulsing barrier that Masamune provided. Dante was fading. The red light dancing around them showed the look of hopelessness on Dante's features. He tried to grab the blade--but his breath was shortening.

"_Farewell...my grandson..."_

Dante's vision blurred. Everything went...

**Black**.

*****  
( Next Mission! )

FINAL MISSION!  
**Mission: #12 ?????**


	12. Mission:12 Sudden Death

********************  
Disclaimer: I do not own Devil May Cry, or anything involving it. Nor do I own anything else. :)**

**This is the final chapter. There will be a _Bonus Ending_ at the end for all of you faithful readers!  
I hope you enjoy. I tried to make it the best I could.**

**  
************************

**MISSION: #12  
Sudden Death**

"_.........."_

Everything was warm around Dante's body. He could feel the warmth of a hand gracing over his face, caressing him as he lay. His eyes refused to open, his legs didn't budge, and his hands felt heavy. He mentally struggled against his own body--as shown by his scrunching facial features. He felt his heart beating harder than ever before--even emitting much more heat from the center of his chest than the rest of his body.

His eyes started to open. The vision above himself was very blurry. He could hear his own breathing loudly in his own ear, as if he were breathing out of an oxygen tank. Whatever was caressing him did not come in clearly at all for several seconds. The more he blinked, the more the vision cleared up.

Her electric touch was misleading at first. Even without any words said, he could tell she was glad he was awake and well.

"_...Come here often, sir?"_

Nevan's voice was like fresh baked pizza to his senses. He just gave a weak chuckle, trying to move his neck as his head lay across her bat-coated lap. "...What happened...? How are you even...here...?"

Nevan shook her head. Her pale eyelids concealing her blood red eyes. Her hand reached over, touching the bright yellow glow at the center of his chest. Dante started to sit up...looking down at his chest with Nevan's aid.

"Wh...what the hell happened to me...?" He could feel the burning sensation now that he actually saw it. It was the same area Althena had stabbed him. Only expanded quite a bit.

The succubi opened her eyes, removing her long fingers from Dante's glowing wound. "...When Althena made you..._Chaos_..." She trailed off.."...I once again became under your control, as I was with the previous." Since the former Chaos had absorbed her and was killed, everything Chaos absorbed had returned to Althena. Now that she had transferred Chaos' power to Dante? Nevan was once more his--along with much more power.

"Chaos...?!" Dante's right hand came to his wound. Though what he saw was anything but the hand he recognized. It was demonic--clawed--burning red with energy. He gasped--taken back by the sudden change in his body. He tried to shake his wrist out as if it could be dispelled so effortlessly. In a panic he looked to his opposing hand--and it was the same thing.

All of his senses were returning to him. He could hear the howl of something in the room...and when his head turned toward the source of the sound--there was a red rift in the middle of the room that he was certain Althena, Lady, and Trish were on the other side of.

"Are..." Dante gasped, throwing himself away from Nevan and onto his side. His clawed hand digging into the pavement. "Are they...?" He was struggling to speak--and fight against the intense amount of energy starting to surge through his body. Rebellion was gripped firmly from the ground in his right hand as he forced himself to a stumbling stand.

"Lady and Trish went after Althena in the rift. I am not sure if they can defeat her...." Nevan seemed to just float to her feet. She brought herself behind Dante, placing her hands on his shoulders, massaging them as her bats elevated her high enough to reach his neck. There soft kisses would be planted. "...We should leave...I need to..._repay _my hero...."

She was trying already? Dante grunted, stepping toward in attempt to get out of her grasp. "...Get outta here and get to the surface. Wait for us there." Dante commanded her, now feeling exhausted from merely standing. He forced his shoulders from her grasp, stumbling toward the rift.

"...Mmn...as you wish, honey..." Nevan couldn't help her nature, but she did obey her master none the less. The impending doom was something she did not want to stick around for. She had already had her fill of Althena and her minions previously. Though she stuck around long enough to watch Dante step through that red gateway....

( **Althena's Domain in Hell** )

"Die!"

The voice of Mary could be heard as she let off another missile. It shot out and destroyed a small gathering of ivory haired men, looking very closely to Dante. The 'Dolls of Sparda' were still very weak, as they had not been given ample time to soak in all of the power absorbed into their being.

The body parts rained down as Trish swept through with the salvaged Force Edge in hand. Severing through the remaining duo of dolls.

"Never told me how you got that." Lady said, panting hard as she lifted Kalina Ann up once more.

"Found it stuck in a statue. Maybe if you weren't busy driving like bats out of hell, you would of saw it first?" Trish teased her exhausted partner, now proceeding forward over the red cracked land. Lady was not very far behind at all. The two ran up until they spotted Althena walking along the center of the land. On either side of this strip of red terrain, there were two rivers of water. Two rivers which matched the color of the two blades Althena carried.

She stopped and turned to face them. In her left hand, the cool, light gray colored blade of the Masamune. In her right, the darker crystaline colored blade of Muramasa. The rivers coresponded to these sides of her.

"...Looks like the bitch has to go down here." Lady huffed out, already taking her aim.

"Looks like it..." Trish's eyebrows lowered. She and Lady had about the same amount of anger in their eyes. Anger and vengeance...though for Lady, there was also a bit of heartache. Dante was probably dead or dying because of this woman. They would not allow that to go unanswered.

"My dearest hated Eva...." Althena began, "...Let's settle this like real women...shall we?" Both blades came forward, pointing to each individual woman. Skidding across the ground effortlessly, Althena charged them!

( **Meanwhile...**)

Dante had fallen through the gateway, landing hard on his stomach and chest. Rebellion fell from his grasp on impact--and the stinging he felt at the glowing yellow opening in his heart region was almost too much to take. Closing his fist up, he punched the ground, trying to push up to his feet.

"...Angi...Rudra..." He called out, holding each of his hands outward. The twins formed in each hand, having their blades pointed down. He used them as crutches of sorts, pushing himself to a kneel, then to his feet. "..Thanks, guys..." A hand removed from Angi to grasp the handle of the downed Rebellion.

"_No problem, master!" "Your health is of supreme importance to us!"_

"Heh..." He started to stand up, looking far ahead of himself. He was inside some kind of tunnel it seemed. There were rows and rows of broken steel racks...and body parts thrown all over the place. Was this the place he'd seen in his vision? Where Sparda's power was _farmed_by Althena and her minions? "...Scram, guys. I'll call ya when I need ya..." He said with a snap of his finger. The twins obeyed, vanishing in a lightly blowing, ignited breeze back to his arms.

He could hear the intense sounds of combat up ahead. The girls were still alive. That was good. It took Dante a while to drag himself out of that barely lit tunnel filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood. Though once Dante spotted Lady and Trish, each of them were on the ground.

Lady was pulling herself up, though panting and bleeding from previous wounds through her shirt. Trish was removing Force Edge from being stabbed into her palm with a painful wince. Several meters away from them had been the fully Devil Triggered Althena.

The woman laughed at her opposition...though her laughter ended when she spotted Dante. Though the expression of pleasure did not leave her insect-like face. "So he returns...." Althena sounded highly amused, though it was enhanced by the fact it sounded like she had two voices speaking at once.

Panting, Dante stumbled right past Lady and Trish.

Though the fiery Lady was already about to help Dante in the fight. Once more she was stopped when he held his hand out. Why did she have to care so much what he said now?!

"Let me...handle this..." Winded, Dante held Rebellion out, dragging it along the red turf.

"Let you handle what? You're weak, my dear grandson. What are you going to do to me?" Althena held her ground, watching as Dante limped toward her. What was he thinking? He could barely even hold up Rebellion, let alone defend himself.

"...Gonna....kill you. Once...and for all. Haa..!!" With an extremely weak effort, Dante half-heartily swung Rebellion, missing the speedy Althena by a mile. The sharp edge of Muramasa cut into his chest, splattering a crescent of blood across the ground. Dante's healing did not kick in right away. The power of the Muramasa was not allowing him to heal as fast as he normally would.

Dante fell to one knee--once more that katana would swing and strike him across the cheek, leaving a deep wound in the side of his face, throwing him aside and to the ground. Dante fell to her left, his hand just touching the surface of the river. He felt his wounds starting to close up--even if it was a more painful process. Althena stabbed Masamune into his leg, dragging him back toward her inch by inch, even as blood splattered all over.

Trish did not like the look of this. She was starting to get her second wind, though.

Althena pulled Dante up by the hair, turning him to face Trish and Lady. She pulled Dante off of the ground by his now bloodstained white hair. "...Kill them." She commanded. She slid Muramasa back into it's casing at her hip then drove her palm into that glowing yellow portion of Dante's chest.

"_AAAH!!"_ Dante's body flickered violently off and on into Devil Trigger. Though Dante's muscles were growing. His entire body was growing with each flicker. Instead of a deep crimson, Dante started to get blacker and blacker. The red was still present, just less apparent. More demonic armor started to form over the growing devil.

Dante's eyes were hidden behind what appeared to be a steel mask. He was much bigger than Althena--reminicent of how big Nelo Angelo was. He stood upright...keeping his focus on Trish and Lady.

"Go forward. Kill them both my dear Chaos. You are my fearless, soulless puppet. You are better than any other Chaos I have ever created!" She said as Dante stepped forward...holding Rebellion tightly in hand. "You are the **Dreadnaught**! Kill them!"

"...This isn't good.." Trish said, now making it to her feet. "Run, Lady. I can handle something like this a lot longer than you can." She held Force Edge in a defensive stance, her bloody blonde hair falling back behind her shoulders as she held this stance.

"Dante will come to his senses! If he doesn't?" There was no sign of reluctance in Mary when she drew her powerful Kalina Ann back up, arming it. "I'll just have to kick his ass too." She was hating herself for doing this, but she had to do what she had to do. She could think and be emotional after Dante and Althena were dead.

"A true friend to the end, aren't you?" The blonde shook her head. She had to brace herself for whatever this _Dreadnaught_ could pull out.

For Dante, everything after this point was a blur. He could see himself throwing Trish and Lady around like they were nothing. Blood splattering across the ground, bullets breaking through his body. Though the one thing he saw clear as day was his approach toward Lady. She had been firing two of her automatic pistols at him. They were hitting him, though he never stopped his pursuit.

Lady backtracked, her heels meeting the edge of the turf, hovering over the ever-flowing river. Over her shoulder her eyes went to see the rapid pace of the shallow water. Her eyes shot back to the approaching Dreadnaught--Trish was trying to peel herself off of the ground after the massive assault she had just taken.

Lady saw Althena just watching on in glee. There was no running from this. "Dante...let's be reasonable now..." She actually had fear in her heart. Fear of immediate death. How did this work in the movies? Speaking to the person's heart always did the trick, right? "Dante! Stop! It's me!" She tried to reason with him, he still was getting closer.

She had to show she was not a threat, she figured. She threw down her guns and held her arms out either side of herself. "Dante please! Listen to me! This isn't you! You're not a soulless demon! You're my friend!" Dreadnaught slowed his pursuit down...mere meters away from her.

"We've been through so much together! We're a team!" She started yelling at him now, lowering her tired arms. "Dante, please! I l--"

_**SHINK!**_

Rebellion ran straight through Lady's torso at the hands of the controlled demon. Dante had to watch it all, unable to control his weakened body. Trish was in disbelief. Althena was highly amused by the sight. Lady's eyes were wide, holding either side of the sword in her hand. She looked up in confusion at the taller demon. She was wrong. Dante was gone, and she couldn't ever see him again in this life.

"D...Dante...??" She felt the tears of pain streaming from her eyes.

Seeing this...the Dreadnaught actually started to shake. Dante couldn't take this. He couldn't allow this anymore. The blade was commanded to be ripped out of Lady's torso, allowing her to fall back with a splash into the water to the left of Althena. Dreadnaught started to shrink. The trigger flickering violently as he growled out loud.

Trish hid her face away--thinking she was next, but she couldn't help but feel an increased amount of energy emitting from where Dreadnaught stood. Dante started to appear again. Taming _both_ levels of Devil Trigger. He was shaking. He grit his teeth...looking at Lady's body float through the water. Throwing his head back, he would scream toward the hellish skies.

"_ALTHENA!"_

Dante vanished from sight in a burst of red winds. When the Devil Triggered grandmother looked up, Dante was coming down trying to split her clean in half eith Rebellion. She met his blade with the Masamune, forcing him to bounce right off of her with the impact.

Dante flipped backward and stopped himself in mid-flight to drive right toward Althena. His Stinger attack was blocked once more, forcing Althena to gain some distance between the two of them by teleporting herself meters away from her grandchild. Now Muramasa was drawn. "You resist my power?! Foolish child!"

She had little room to speak now that Dante was rushing her, putting Rebellion back on his back. His hands went out, now evening the odds with his own pair of blades--Angi and Rudra.

The two clashed furiously. Their impacts created bubbles of gravity that blew almost everything within their range away from them. Dust flew up and small chunks of the hellish turf. Althena had the strength advantage clearly--due to being in Devil Trigger--but Dante refused to use any additional power without knowing if Althena would control him again or not.

The two crossed blades and struggled against eachother. Dante growled up at her snarling face. Althena was using all of her power to try and keep Dante at bay. Even with the still sealing wounds on his body, he was fighting through the pain to use every ounce of his being to end her. He knew he needed to get that sword off of h--

_**PHEEW! Bang!**_

A rocket shot out, nailing Althena right in the side, driving her away from Dante! She dropped both of her swords, skidding across the ground closer to the river to her right. Dante fell back from the sudden shot, and looked to the skies as he saw Trish sailing overhead. She drove Force Edge right into the chest of Althena as hard as she could. Both feet drilling into her stomach afterward.

Dante didn't see Kalina Ann until he looked further back. Lady had been out of the water and on her knees holding the weapon. Her wound was sealed..._how?_ She looked perfectly fine in fact!

Althena started to struggle against Trish, gargling blood the entire time. "_Eva..! You will die!"_The words grew higher in octave when Trish pushed it deeper into Althena's chest.

"Dante!" She called back to him.

He knew what to do. Making the twin blades vanish, Dante rolled forward and grabbed the two blades in each hand. He started to sprint to Trish and Althena when his partner was suddenly tossed at him! Trish's back hit Dante head on, forcefully knocking Masamune out of his hand as well as pushing him into the river that Lady had fallen into.

Right away, Dante felt his wounds make a speedy recovery. What was with this water?

Althena rolled over, placing her hand into the river on the _right_ by accident. She howled out in pain, as her wound **stopped **healing. Quickly yanking it out, Althena made her way to her knees.

"...Get outta here. I got this." He knew what had to be done, now.

Trish turned to him, using Force Edge to stand. "What? I'm not leaving you Dante. You know better than that!"

"Trust me. I won't be able to focus with you and Lady runnin' around here." He pulled himself out of the water."Now beat it!" He made a dash toward the Masamune--though Althena's teleporting speed was far too great. She collected her weapon before Dante could get close. Once it was in her grasp the woman spun about, swinging for Dante's neck!

Muramasa came up in his protection, struggling against her forceful impact. The blade started to glow red...it wanted **blood**. Dante could hear voices in his head starting to demand more blood. He could see just how _evil_ this weapon was from this small taste he got. "Go!" Dante yelled back at Trish once more. With little more said, the woman had took off running.

Dante expected her to pull Lady with her no matter how she fussed about it. Though he did not pay attention long enough to tell. Still using his one hand to try and block Althena from ripping his head off, he would use his off-hand to pull Ivory from his coat.

Right into Althena's closing gash in her chest the weapon would go, unleashing several shots that burst from the triggered woman's back. Screeching in pain, Althena staggered backward. Taking his chance, Dante went to stab Muramasa through her! The demon woman screamed out as her blood was sucked right into the weapon, slowly killing off her Devil Trigger.

Dante held on as long as he could, but as a last ditch effort, Althena used the Musamune's power to create that large barrier--knocking Dante away from her. With the other blade still driven through her torso, she fell to her knees. She tried to crawl toward the river on the _left_. "Masamune...river...please...aid me..!" She called out, reaching for the edge of the red land.

Dante could not allow her to heal. If _that_was Masamune river and it had the ability to heal...then the one that slowed or stopped her healing had to be Muramasa river. Each of his hands wrapped around her ankle, yanking it with all his strength and tossing her clean across the clearing of land and into the other river.

There was a great splash when Althena landed in it, screaming at the top of her lungs. She landed on her back, and Muramasa popped up and out of her stomach. It landed in the river and started to sail with the current. Muramasa had been lost--now sailing down stream. As her last resort--no matter how painful it was she got to her feet...starting to pull out the trigger at the handle of Msamune.

"Well well...looks like you're not goin' anywhere grams." She could hear his voice as he approached the river with the utmost confidence. Dante stepped at the edge of the water...now having Ebony in his grasp. "This must be Muramasa river then, right? Looks like that wound hurts a lot more now..."

The mortally wounded woman held her injury, snarling up at Dante. She was once again locked in her false 'human form' which was the actual body of Dante's _human_grandmother. Her long ivory hair was a mess, stained in the blood she had lost during the course of this fight. "My weapons were forged in these waters. The waters of immortality and mortality..." She began, "Move aside, Dante. I am close...so close to destroying Mundus one and for all! Let me be! Let me go to my soldiers and destroy Mundus! We can settle this after that!"

Dante wasn't listening, of course. "So...that means as long as you're in that water, you're mortal huh?" He started to pace about, still walking dangerously close along the edge. "So when you made me stab Lady...her lucky star let her fall into the river of immortality huh? No wonder she healed and survived. _Nice._ You didn't notice?"

"It is difficult to remember which is which after so long. Only after she resurfaced did I know which was which..." Hopefully, Dante was going to accept these negotiations. "Let me go."

He thought about it, then turned to face her again. "Let's leave it up to fate." His boots sunk into the shallow water, walking through it several yards away from his kin. "You kill me, you go on. I kill you, this all ends and I get back home to my goddamn strawberry sundaes. What do ya say? Do we have a deal?"

He was in the water. He was now _mortal_ like she was. The deal was very sweet. She could kill him then run over to heal herself. As long as he was in this water, the odds were in her favor."...I _accept_."

Dante nodded. "Good. Let's do this the old fashioned way. I know you have a trigger on that weapon, and I've got a gun right here. So let's let the bullets decide who lives and who dies. On a count of three...we both draw. Bang. We'll know who the winner is. Whaddaya say grams?"

"We have an accord." She held Masamune down, keeping her finger on the trigger.

Dante spun his gun and placed it on it's holster at his side. He tapped his belt once...then loomed his hand at his side.

They squinted at each other....waiting for the right moment.

"One." He spoke out.

"Two." She responded.

"Three!--_Draw!_" They both said at the exact same time

_**BANG!  
BANG!**_

.............

..........

.....

..

Dante stood with two smoking barrels...squinting over at Althena.

Althena stood with her single smoking barrel attached to the blade of Masamune.

They stared eachother down for several seconds.

Dante felt warm blood running down the side of his face.

Althena had two bullet holes in her chest. She looked down to it...in complete shock. "...I...._hate_...you..." She said softly...turning her eyes to Dante. "I hope you suffer..!!"

"_Sweet dreams."_Dante said, now starting to squeeze with both triggers, lighting Althena up as much as he could until the water around her was red. Once she finally fell back, he stopped squeezing the triggers. It was...over. "...Damn. She clipped my damn ear." He grunted, reaching to check himself for blood. "...That color looks good on ya, red that is. Black and gold's a little too borin' for me." He said, starting to climb out of the water. He started to head back to the tunnel in which he came.

( **Back in Althena's Throne room** )

When Dante arrived, he was greeted by the lone Pride who had helped him earlier. He was holding the Vanguard's enormous scythe as well. _Pretty cool_, Dante thought.

"Aah. You again. What's goin on dude?" Dante noticed the former _motorcycle_ of his was returned to her normal form. She was hugged up along side Timotheus.

"Althena has been defeated? Impressive, son of Sparda." Timotheus nodded his head. "Before you depart, we have one final request."

Hopefully it didn't involve fighting any more. He was already pretty damn sore. "Yeah? What would that be?"

"Release my sisters from the amulet. Allow us to return to hell where our home is." Verdani spoke up on behalf of her lover.

"Release them? Well, I don't know how to do that. Though as far as I'm concerned, they're free." When Dante said that last word, 'free' his body pulsed with white energy. The two remaining energies in the Althena amulet released Urd and Skuld from it. The armless Urd was still hunched over in pain, but she was alive.

"Thank you," Skuld began to speak on behalf of her sisters. "You have done a great deed." She stepped forward to offer her hand to Dante.

"Not in a hand shakin' mood babe. You're welcome, though. I just need a couple favors from you guys." He pointed his finger to each of them. "One, you seal this gate up once you're all through. Two, you make sure no one ever comes down here again. Finally, I get to ride that motorcycle one more time so I get to the top quicker. We got a deal?"

Verdani giggled, going to kiss her dear Timotheus once more on the side of his bony cheek. "I will return quickly." She stepped forward, placing her hands at her hips. "Easy on the breaks this time, okay?"

"Heh heh. You're a pretty wild ride babe. I'll try. That man'a yours sure is lucky." He shot Timotheus a thumbs up before turning his sights back to the transforming sister of fate. "Alright! Let's rock!"

( **Later** )

"Phew. Another one bites the dust." Dante said, coming out onto the surface of the Earth again. Waiting for him out there had been Trish and Lady...the brunette in particular looking highly happy to see him alive...then extremely upset. "Hey babes. Sorry I took so long. Althena's history now. Where's Nevan?"

"Nevan went on home. Good work devil boy. You did it aga--" Trish was interrupted by the rowdy young woman.

"You **stabbed** me you asshole!" She was tempted to shoot him, but she had decided pistol whipping would feel much better when he got in range.

"Hey..I was under control. You know I wouldn't do that to you with my head on straight. Geeze, cut me some slack, will ya?"

"Some slack?! I almost **died** Dante! That's going into your bill, you owe me a half a million in damages!" She shook her fist toward the sky--and at this point Trish couldn't hold back her laughter.

"What?! Half a million--!? That ain't fair! I was almost **out** of debt with you! Can't I just buy you somethin' or take you somewhere?!" He tried to bargain his way out of all of this as fast as he could.

"The Casino Boat! That's where I wanna go! This time not on some devil hunting trip! I want to have fun!"

Trish was almost tipping over from laughing so hard "Oh you two are **adorable** together!"

"_SHUT UP!"_ Both Dante and Lady shouted at her!

****

**THE END.......**

**BONUS ENDING**

------

The river ran red. Both the blades of Althena floated through the shallow water, far down stream. Miles and miles downstream there had been a breaking of the land. The river of mortality (Muramasa river) had formed a bridge that lead to other platforms...seemingly some civilization far ahead. While the river of immortality formed a slope that passed far beneath that bridge.

The slope lead deeper and deeper into hell. Into pitch blackness. There was blood that had stained the edge of the bridge...and a sudden splash down below....

****

**And that's the end guys! I hope you enjoyed the ride! I sure did!**

My next project for DMC should be coming soon. It will involve the character Griever as a continuation of this storyline. Also! I may have a spin-off to this directly for Lady, Trish, and Dante on the Casino Boat. That will probably end up being a comedy more than an action packed for reading!

The official sequel will come soon once things wrap up with Griever (Or before then). We'll see!

Thanks for reading, guys!

**~JS**


	13. Mission:01 Half Devil?

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Devil May Cry at all! :]

_

**Devil May Cry: **Althena II: Day of the Devil

**Mission: #01 –** Half Devil?

"_Man is the only creature that refuses to be what he is." _

_**~Albert Camus**_

It was a long, starry night. Several months had passed since the defeat of Althena, and as usual...business was slow in the demon hunting business. The 'team', so to speak had been off and on since the encounter months ago after meeting with Nero for the first time. Trish had went out into the world once again to try and further her joys of following bands on tour – while keeping demons off of their backs; Dante remained himself, taking odd jobs where he could, and Lady? Well, she had been spending a lot more time working with Dante than she cared for.

He always made a mess of things. _Always. _Sometimes she wished, just for a moment, he could be a professional!

Mary's bike had been parked outside of one of the city's local bars, after she had gotten a tip that a demon had been causing chaos on a nightly basis the last three evenings at the same bar. Many people had already been slain by this creature..., so Lady took an extra precaution; more clips. Ever since the skies went red three nights ago, she wouldn't be surprised if this was a great demon.

Still straddled over her bike, she felt her phone vibrate along her pocket – and a look of annoyance slid over her scarred face. "_Damnit_," She grunted, climbing off of her bike and onto the damp concrete. Her fingers pushed down into her pocket, pulling out the sleek flip phone. It was _Dante_ again. Deciding to answer this one, she put it to her ear.

"What?"

"Ooh, you mad, Lady? Damn, you sound sexy when you're pissed. _Ha._"

Mary just scoffed, placing her left hand on her hip. "What the hell do you want? Unlike you, some people actually have_ work_ to do." She said into the phone, glancing at the men and women who started stepping into the bar.

"Ouch, babe. Look, I wanted to ask you to swing by. Got a couple bad horror flicks and some pretty good eats. My treat."

She gave it a thought, "Tempting offer, Dante." She started, "Though I'm going to have to pass if you're sitting at your bedroom, wearing a tank top and your underwear, a stupid army helmet, playing that dorky Call of Duty game..." She knew that's how she always caught him when he wasn't working!

Dante chuckled on his end, "Ha...c'mon, babe. I'm not wearin' the helmet right now. Though, I'll do whatever it takes to be sure we get to hang out. Pretty damn dull on my end tonight. Patty's only here in the mornings, now..."

Lady's lips curled into a grin, "Fine, Dante. I'll be over in a little bit. Since your debt is shrinking, I guess I can treat you more like an actual friend now?" She tilted her head, grinning from ear to ear as she lightly paced around her bike.

"Yeah..., after those high end jobs, I better be."

"_Ha_." Lady laughed briefly, "Whatever, Dante. I'll see you in a little bit. Later."

"Adios, babe."

After Dante's words, she clicked the phone and slipped it back into her pocket. "He's really trying hard," She spoke beneath her breath, pulling Kalina Ann from her bike, and up over her shoulder – still wrapped in it's concealing cloths.

As she headed for the door, it sounded as if war had broken out inside the confines of the bar. Screams, bodies falling, people running out from the bar in drones. Lady was held back from her entrance by the people she was trying to push past to get inside where the action had been going down. People screaming 'He's back again,' each time they passed her.

_He_ was back again?

"Out of my...way!" Lady shouted as the gunfire inside the bar subsided. She shoved away from the fleeing crowd and made a rush for the open door of the bar. Inside was the heavy scent of demon blood, with several human-posing demons laid to rest across the floor in puddles of their blood. Someone beat her to the punch? Lady looked left to right, and saw –

"_...Hmm..."_ A young man laying across the bar top, with one leg bent up, and another behind his head with a smoking black gun. His right hand slowly pulling a cigarette away from his lips. His short, shaggy black hair almost in reminiscent of her own style.

"Hey! Who the hell are you?" She shouted out, unstrapping two of her firearms from her sides and aiming it directly at the odd younger man.

"..." He turned his head, looking at her for several seconds. Though he soon started to sit up and dangle his feet off the side of the bar. Scooting off, he'd stand up straight, with a clanking of the various metal objects he kept within his red coat. "..." A quick-draw of his left hand and he would shoot, aimed right between Lady's legs, quite literately.

Lady's eyes widened as her self awareness increased ten-fold, though she soon realized a demon groaned a painful death behind and somewhat beneath her as a result of that shot. Regaining herself after that brief moment of panic, she lifted her guns again. "I appreciate the assistance, but I was more than ready to handle that myself!" She lied, "What in the hell are you? One of Dante's fan's or something?" She said, noting the certain swagger he carried about himself. "You know, if you were to go to a convention dressed like that, I'm sure you'd get laughed out of the place." She didn't _like_ this guy...he was reminding her of how much of a jerk she thought Dante was in the old days...and he hadn't said a word!

"..." He dropped his cigarette, stomping on it to put it out.

"Silent, huh? Well that's fine with me. You must be the demon everyone's been talking about. A demon killing other demons for free? I gotta say, you're a unique case."

The man cracked a grin. "...You always talk so much, lady?"

She wasn't sure if he was calling her by name, or just by a generalization. "Shut up!" She snapped at him, "I see you know my name, but I don't even know yours!"

"...Your name is _Lady_?" He seemed to grow amused, starting to pace to the left side, rubbing his hand along a bloody booth table. "And you said _I'd_ get laughed out of places."

He was testing her patience, and she was never a pretty sight when it got to this point. "...You know what? I don't even care if you're the demon I'm after. I think shooting you will just make it all worth it." Her guns remained on him, each opposing colored eye narrowed down on him, ready to _fight_!

The young man chuckled, "I'm too busy to play right now, Lady." He said, starting to turn his back to the window to face her, as she circled around to be in front of him. "So if you're gonna shoot," He gave his dirty tank top a quick brush off. "Then _shoot_."

"Fine!" Mary said, now squeezing her triggers that sent out bullets with destructive force so great that it would blast the young man from his feet and through the thick glass and to the outside! Satisfied with shutting the boy up, Lady took a breath...though her guns remained up for several seconds. She saw he was not getting back up outside. As she lowered her guns, however...

"Nice shot." The young man's voice came forth as he stood, a bloody mess on the other end of the broken window. "Maybe we'll try and kill each other another time, yeah? The name's _Dante_, by the way." He said, bending his knees and springing up beyond the view of the window. "See ya around, Lady!" He called out as he vanished.

Lady was absolutely dumbfounded. This guy actually thought he was Dante...? Was he a full demon...? Either way...it was extremely odd to her. She was taken back by how near-exact he was to _her_ Dante. "...Freak." She said, casting the thought aside while her guns were holstered. For now, it was time to spend the night at Dante's.


	14. Mission:02 Love?

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Devil May Cry at all! :]

_

**Mission: #02 –** Love?

The doors to the Devil May Cry were pushed open, letting the lightly playing heavy metal tunes greet the ears of Mary. Shutting the door behind her, she would adjust Kalina Ann along her shoulder. It was more stressful to manage after a long day than an extremely uncomfortable bra. Grunting, Lady walked her weapon to the nearest corner away from the windows to rest it. After taking off her various guns, she would hang them along the wall...though she kept her baby - a pistol – remained strapped at her thigh.

"Dante?" She called out, noting the half-full pizza box on his desk, as well as Rebellion leaned against his desk. He was here, that wasn't a doubt. "Dante!" She called again, that bastard better be awake!

Sure enough, he emerged from upstairs. Under his arm had been a VCR, and over his shoulder had been a couple of blankets. He was dressed in his white and red pinstriped boxers, a slightly dirty white tank top, and a green army helmet over his head ."Well, impatient girls don't get their prizes." He spoke with a half-yawn, starting down his stairs.

"Prize?" She rolled her eyes. "Any prize from you is worth nothing short than a TV dinner." She started toward the couch, setting herself down. As she crossed her scarred legs, she noted the VCR. "What the hell are you doing with that dinosaur?" She noted the helmet as well. "Augh, you're such a fucking loser."

He lifted it a bit, looking down. "Heh..., babe, this is how you watch movies for real. No scene skippin', occasional static, bad clarity. Best way to watch a bad horror flick with a babe on the first date." He tossed the blankets over onto the empty side of the couch. He _totally_ ignored the loser line. His retort would only get him shot in the face _again_.

"First date? Right, in your dreams, Dante." She honestly wouldn't mind a date. This would technically be their _third_ date, if he considered them hanging out as such. "You've been to first base less than a back catcher."

Dante laughed while he set up the VCR, removing his helmet to place it on top of the device. He needed the weight on it, to make it work properly. His hand brushed over the top of his messy hair to straighten it out. "Pretty good. Did that fat kid up the street lay that one on you too?"

Mary was heated, grunting. He knew the origin of the joke! "Just set up the damn VCR. I'm hungry, what do you have other than pizza?"

"Other than Pizza?" He looked up from behind the small TV set. "...I've got Pizza Puffs in the freezer. The little microwave kind."

Mary had to settle for Pizza...**again**. "..Fine. I'll just take some pizza then. If you want me to keep hanging out here, you're gonna have to get better food, Dante." She leaned back, looking toward the ceiling. "By the way, some kid is running around acting like you. Says his name is Dante. I shot him, but it didn't do much. My guess is he's a half-demon like you."

Dante had the VCR set up, all he needed to do was press play now! Though he went to fetch the Pizza box first to walk it back over to Mary. "Like me? Heh..., who knows? Maybe it was Enzo. Fat-ass never gets tired of trying to be me when he's in town." He pulled up one of the blankets over himself, then offered Lady the other.

She heard of Enzo...just never actually _saw_ him. With the blanket coming around her, she kicked off her boots. "No, it was a guy around your size. He had black hair and eye liner it looked like. Weird patch of white hair behind his head." She huffed, not wanting to potentially sleep in her 'uniform'. "Can I borrow a shirt?"

Dante glanced over to her, then toward the television while his right hand pressed buttons on the remote to try to make the VCR work. "...Right upstairs. First room's mine. Got some shirts in the closet." He started to slap the remote. Damn batteries didn't want to participate! "Don't poke around too much," He said as Mary stood up. "Might find the Cat costume I bought ya." He joked.

Mary grabbed the rail, heading up the stairs. "It's probably stretched out from you wearing it." She retorted as plainly as possible, going upstairs.

( **The Night Streets** )

Cities away from the Devil May Cry, there had been a great battle taking place. A massive, sixteen foot entity composed of **ice** had been terrorizing the city streets. Along the long passage way, cars had been frozen over, buildings ridden with holes and structural damage, and the sound of pedestrians was non-existent. Since the battle broke out, _everyone_ fled town. The large ape-like creature swung it's massive, rock solid fist into the red clad individual, rocketing him across the passage way, right into the remains of a drug store.

"You dare challenge me, boy? As I have told you...it is futile, mortal!" The beast spoke with a tripled voice that echoed all around it's massive maw.

'Dante' had slowly started to pick himself up. Various red lines of slowly healing wounds seen along his facial features, and ripped along his tank top. He started to stand up...reaching over near the vacant cash register inside the drug store, scooping up a pack of cigarettes. He placed one of his pistols in it's holster behind him, starting to pat the bottom of the box.

The Ice demon watched him intently...prepared to go in for the kill. Though he was curious as to why this mere man had not fallen just yet.

Fetching a cigarette out, 'Dante' looked up to the beast. "...Got a light?" He questioned, though his next action happened so suddenly, if the beast _were_ to answer, he'd have no chance. The guns fired rapidly ahead of himself, off to the sides, and diagonally from where he stood. The sound of ice and glass shattering was heard, as well as metal giving way to the bullet onslaught. He hit everything _except_ the creature.

It covered itself up from the gunfire...only to find nothing had hit him at all. "...Hahaha...your aim has failed you, boy!" He boasted, lowering his thick, ice shard ridden forearm.

Though 'Dante' gave him no words. He lifted the tip of his gun to his cigarette, using it's heat to actually light it. Quite hot. After taking a puff, that _odd_ weapon of his was drawn, latching on a nearby vehicle, and launched it effortlessly toward the beast!

"Fool!" His palm straightened into a frozen dagger, driving through the center of the car with ease! It was nothing! Though, he came to notice the leaking substance from the well-placed holes along it's frame. Also, the same substance was leaking from the other vehicles that had been previously frozen, though not as profusely as the one he held before himself.

Taking a puff of the cigarette, 'Dante' flicked the cancer stick into the pooling gasoline, which instantly went up in lames, creating a great explosion that even sent him flying. Various buildings nearby caught fire, and the pained, dying groans of the beast were drowned out by the popped ears of the psychopathic devil. 'Dante' was back inside the Drug store, ridden with cuts, and deep within it's furthermost reaches on his back. The building started to catch flame when the melting beast collapsed against it, shaking the construction to it's very foundation.

Picking himself up, 'Dante' used his guns to begin 'drilling' a hole through the furthermost wall with everything his twin pistols could pack. With the construction significantly weakened, he kicked part of the back wall out, and emerged into the open air, leaving the burning building behind him. He just wanted another cigarette though..., perfect for celebration.

Though, his desired celebration would have to wait. Dropping from the sky, a young man would land in a kneel just feet away from him in the alleyway, near the burning construction. He had hair as white as snow, and an arm that glowed brighter than Neon. It was quite the interesting sight to say the least. "New look, Dante?" Nero spoke out, turning to examine the burning building for a moment. "Didn't think black hair was your style, old man." He was amused, though he was a bit surprised Dante was so reckless...well, _more_ reckless than usual. He had been watching the confrontation for quite sometime. He wanted to take notes.

"..." 'Dante' didn't say anything. He kept his back to Nero.

"Didn't think smoking was your thing, either." He turned to face 'Dante' soon after he finished speaking.

Though, this brought him to glance over his shoulder. "...Do I know you?"

That was when Nero realized this wasn't the same cocky bastard he was used to. "...Guess Dante has more fans than I thought," Nero said beneath his breath. "Whoever you are, the Neo-Order is in charge of protecting this territory. Your help is appreciated, but leave the big guys to the professionals."

'Dante' turned to fully face Nero now. "Just doing what I gotta do, kid." He dusted off his singed coat, "I'll get to 'Dante' later." He lifted his hands to make quotation fingers. "Ever since I got out, that's all I freakin' hear..."

Normally, Nero would defend his friends honor if someone wished harm on them. Though, this guy was a joke to him. He had better things to do, and a girlfriend to come home to. Why waste time? "Whatever." He turned away to begin leaving, "Word of advice?" Nero turned to face the man again. "Not many people are going to give you a chance if you dress and look like that. If you're gonna be a demon slayer, try to look like yourself." Nero knew a bit about criticism. Since he began venturing out of his comfort zone to protect surrounding territories, every now and then, someone would mistake him for Dante. Though his unique features made that mistake a rarity. He turned, using his powerful arm to pull him up in one of the buildings out of the heated alleyway, leaving 'Dante' to his business.

(** Back at the Devil May Cry** )

Coming from upstairs, Lady would be dressed in an oversized red T-Shirt of Dante's, as well as her own pair of black and star designed boxers peeking from the hemline. They were her own! The scarred up beauty returned to the couch, pulling up her blanket and took her seat. The horror movie was a good few minutes in.

Dante paused in eating his slice of pizza, noting Lady's attire quite quickly. "Hm...thought you were more of a briefs kinda girl." He grinned, expecting violence in return.

He wouldn't be disappointed – as Lady **kicked** his leg as hard as she possibly could. Her angered expression telling the story of her embarrassment. She was trying to get comfortable, and he had to make a remark to make her consider leaving!

"Hey! Ow...!" He winced, "That one hurt, babe..."

"I'm not your goddamn babe. Give me that!" She reached over, taking his pizza box!

"Whoa!" Dante started to reach over to her, struggling to reach over her to grab the box back! "Hey, don't hog it all!" His chest pressed to her shoulder, putting them in closer proximity as he wrapped his arms about her to try to get the box.

Lady, still enraged at the prior comment refused to cooperate. "Get off me! You'll get it back when you're not such a dickhead!" She continued to fuss, holding the box as far from him as her arms could. "Sit down! You're breathing all over me!"

He grinned..., no longer reaching for the box. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry, alright? Just couldn't help but notice. You've got some pretty hot legs, Lady."

She didn't know how to respond to that. "...Whatever." She had to resort to responding in a negative sense. For the life of her, she could never figure out why Dante could still show interest in her and still go after supermodel women. "My legs are ugly," Mary looked away from him. She hated her scars with a passion. Even when she did feel like being cute, it was hard to strut her stuff with scars catching everyone's attention first. "Just like **you**." She said as firmly as her voice would allow, looking back over to him, slightly over her shoulder.

Dante knew better. He didn't laugh it off. He knew how to get her off guard. He just stared into those mix-matched eyes...not saying anything for a few, precious seconds. The screaming of the movie not even distracting him. "That how you really feel about me?" He remembered, not long ago, Lady being in la-la land when his 'clone' was putting moves on her.

Her vision went to the television, putting the pizza box down on the arm of the chair. She turned to look at him again. His face just inches from her own. How long could a girl hold up her defenses with such a face looking at her? At least, when it was genuinely interested _exclusively_ in her? She didn't want him to see the scar over her nose...she wished she concealed it with make-up, if he was going to get this close.

So many imperfections could be magnified by Dante's eye, and she knew it. It was a horrible thing to know. At least on a 'date', make-up would be applied ahead of time. "...Maybe."

He could see she was starting to get nervous, but he didn't back off. "Maybe, huh...? Heh..." He shut his eyes a moment, had his arms coming around her, and her blanket. He was glad she didn't panic in the process. "Better than a '_no_'."

She pouted, feeling him leaning in toward her. She turned her head away – it was too sudden for a kiss!

Another crushing defeat. Dante sucked his lips in, then exhaled. "Sorry...," He leaned back a little bit. "You alright...?"

She didn't want to look at him..., though she knew that would only make her look vulnerable. She was _not_ a swooning damsel on a romance novel. "...It doesn't feel right. We're just -"

Though before she could finish that sentence, Dante spoke up. "What if I let you come to me part of the way?"

Mary's eyes went back to his. In that case..., she wouldn't be the one submitting. It was more of an...equal opportunity. "...Just this once." She grunted, starting to pivot her torso a bit, to lean toward him. Though she stopped. "_You better not tell anybody I did this, either. I'll hate you forever."_ She gave an angered whisper, which only made Dante smile. She held onto the collar area of his tank top, drawing him closer to her. Their eyes each came to shut.

However, upon the meeting of their lips...it didn't sink into Lady that...

_She had no idea how to kiss a boy._

"-?" She panicked when Dante started to lean more into the kiss after it lasted a few seconds. She pulled away with a sudden smack of their lips. "Uhm...the movie..." She used it as an excuse...but Dante progressed forth again. _Shit_. She was drawn back into him. Inexperience or not, she was going to enjoy it...for as long as it lasted...

============================  
**A/N**

Still developing the story..., but I figured why not finally get Dante and Lady some time together? I think it was pretty established during DMC: Althena 1, after all!


End file.
